As part of the year-long celebrations commemorating the 20th anniversary of BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, London, thousands of devotees participated in various devotional observations as a token of their personal contribution towards the momentous occasion.
One of these activities took the form of pad-yatras (pilgrimages by foot) organised by devotees from their respective mandirs and centres to the London Mandir.
Hundreds of men, women and young children – from as far afield as Luton – walked enthusiastically to the Mandir, singing bhajans and sharing their treasured memories from the previous 20 years en route.
Each yatra was planned meticulously with detailed route maps and plenty of refreshments to ensure the journeys were completed safely.
Despite the challenging distances (the longest of which was 27 miles taking 12 hours) and, at times, difficult weather conditions, everyone completed their respective yatras in tremendous spirit. Walkers were warmly welcomed by volunteers upon arrival at the Mandir.
A collective feeling of unity, dedication and devotion helped to make these pilgrimages memorable as well as spiritually uplifting.