BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha

Every BAPS activity has spiritual roots, nourished by daily prayers and devotion and regular weekly guidance.
BAPS has over 3,850 centres in India, USA, UK, Europe, Africa, Asia Pacific and the Middle East in which 9,700 weekly assemblies for men and women, youths and teenagers, and 6,300 weekly assemblies for children are conducted, inspiring a peaceful, progressive life, free from crime, aggression and addictions.
Swamishri has inspired over a dozen large-scale international cultural festivals in India, USA, UK and Africa since 1981, attended by over 34 million people.
Since 1972, under Swamishri’s guidance over 406,000 candidates aged 9 to 90 from over 1,900 BAPS centres worldwide have benefited from the Sanstha’s 9-level international cultural examinations course.
A volunteer force of 55,000 men and women serve with devotion and dedication, contributing over 12 million volunteer-hours in serving society annually.
Of these, over 10,000 are women volunteers who manage the various moral, cultural, social and spiritual activities specifically for women of all ages.
Through anti-addiction drives by BAPS adult volunteers and children, hundreds of thousands of people have pledged to give up their dependence on tobacco, drugs, alcohol, gambling and other destructive habits. BAPS has received the prestigious Gujarat Cancer Society and Ravishankar Maharaj awards for its innovative de-addiction work.
Swamishri has strengthened family unity by advocating daily family assemblies, wherein all family members daily sit together to pray to God, read shastras, discuss their day and understand each other.
Youth talent is nurtured through training, public performances and competitions in public speaking, storytelling, scriptural recitations and discourses, drama, traditional dance, vocal and instrumental music, art, crafts and other activities.
Thousands of children, teenagers, youths, adults and senior citizens at BAPS centres throughout North America and Europe take part in Annual National Sponsored Walks to promote family values and raise funds for charitable purposes.
Swamishri’s pious life has inspired over 900 educated youths to become sadhus, observing strict celibacy. In addition to daily devotion and meditation, they study the Hindu shastras, philosophy, art, music and perform regular social work. These committed sadhus are the backbone of all BAPS activities.
Spirituality is sincerely practiced by devotees who begin the day with morning puja, and engage daily in meditation, introspection, traditional worship rituals and shastra reading.
To facilitate daily devotion, Swamishri has consecrated BAPS shikharbaddh and hari mandirs in India, Africa, Europe, North America, the Middle East and Australasia. At present, there are 32 shikharbaddh mandirs and over 1,000 hari mandirs in which all major Hindu festivals are celebrated according to tradition. The BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in London, the first traditional Hindu mandir in Europe, has become a centre for Hindu traditions and social harmony and has over 480,000 visitors annually. Swamishri has consecrated five traditional mandirs in North America at Houston, Chicago, Atlanta, Los Angeles and Toronto.

HEALTH
7 hospitals, 11 mobile clinics & 4 health centres in Gujarat, Mumbai and New Delhi treat over 391,000 patients and perform 16,500 operations annually.
Since 1999, over 3.2 million patients in tribal areas have been treated free of charge by BAPS mobile medical clinics.

FREE MEDICAL CAMPS

• Ophthalmic, paediatric, disease prevention, women’s health and general medical camps are held in India, USA, UK and Africa.
• BAPS also conducts blood and bone marrow donation camps.

OTHER MEDICAL ACTIVITIES:

• Since 1994, regular medico-spiritual conferences have enlightened and inspired thousands of doctors and para-medical staff.
• BAPS Swaminarayan herbal care produces over 160 pure ayurvedic and herbal products.
• Health awareness publications educate and inspire thousands annually.

EDUCATION
Quality value-based education provided to over 7,200 students at 14 BAPS nursery, primary and secondary schools every year.
The Swaminarayan Independent Day School, the first Hindu school in Europe, provides a sound academic and value-based education to over 500 students annually, from grades 1 to 12.
24 BAPS student hostels provide an ideal atmosphere for both academic and moral excellence. Apart from quality residential facilities, personality development and careers guidance are offered for all-round progress.
For victims of floods, earthquakes and other natural disasters, BAPS has built 55 schools in Gujarat, Maharashtra and Orissa that educate thousands of students annually.
Through scholarships, seminars and study circles, BAPS supports and nourishes the academic and other talents of thousands of students.
Care for the environment encouraged by water conservation, paper recycling projects, tree planting campaigns, use of solar and bio-gas energy and efficient building designs.
 
TRIBAL UPLIFT
Over 1,300 BAPS tribal centres in the districts of Sabarkantha, Panchmahal, Bodeli, Navsari and Sankari in Gujarat conduct regular weekly satsang assemblies; literacy and freedom from addictions programmes are promoted.
Education is promoted among tribal community by school in Silvassa, student hostel in Ukai, tuitions for children and training seminars for women to teach practical skills for securing employment.
Medical services provided by 11 mobile medical clinics which annually treat over 224,000 tribal villagers free of charge. Also, free medical check-up camps and ambulance service provided.

DISASTER RELIEF WORK
BAPS provides emergency aid and long-term rehabilitation to victims of earthquakes, floods, cyclones, tsunamis, droughts, famines and other calamities.

ORISSA SUPERCYCLONE 1999

• Emergency relief aid to 91 villages of Jagatsinghpur and Kendrapada districts.
• Medical camps in 32 villages.
• 190 cyclone-resistant houses and 2 schools reconstructed in the 3 adopted villages of Chakulia, Banipat and Potak.
  Detail Report
   

GUJARAT EARTHQUAKE 2001

• Relief materials delivered to 409 remote villages.
• Hot meals served to over 40,000 people every day for 45 days at 11 BAPS relief camps.
• 45,000 patients provided medical treatment.
• Tin-tent cities with water, sanitation and electricity for 3,300 victims set up in Bhuj and Khavda.
• 9 villages and housing colonies reconstructed: 1,529 cyclone and earthquake-resistant houses, community halls, schools, health centres and village squares.
• 321 classrooms in 43 schools reconstructed with furniture and facilities for future growth.
• Economic rehabilitation: 300 shops and tools given to hundreds of tailors, goldsmiths and carpenters.
  Detail Report
   

SOUTHEAST ASIA TSUNAMI 2004

• Emergency aid to 51 villages in south India.
• 245 houses and other infrastructure constructed in two adopted villages: Mahabalipuram and Pattipulamkupam.
• Livelihood rehabilitation: 250 milch cows, coir rope-making equipment, rubber slipper-making equipment distributed.
  Detail Report
   

GUJARAT FLOODS 2006

• Over 320,000 food packets prepared and distributed
• 6,000 families provided with food and other essential supplies.
  Detail Report
   

UTTARAKHAND FLOODS 2013

• Villages Reached : 30 villages (Dists: Rudraprayag, Uttarkashi, Guptakashi, Bageshwar, Pithoragarh, Chamoli, Tharali, Chinyalisaur, Joshimath, Ukhimath).
• Relief Provided: 2,140 families.
• Medical Relief: Over 200 patients treated  in BAPS medical camps; medical kits provided to 25 villages.
• Food Kits Supplied: 8,500 kits totalling 60 tons of 24 food items, packed and distributed.
• Household Kits Distributed: Total of 50 tons of 38 relief items provided and distributed.
• Shelters Provided: 1,200 tarpaulins and 230 tents provided for the homeless.
  Detail Report