On September 6, 2017, prominent Indian American community leaders were welcomed to the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Robbinsville, NJ to celebrate the Indo-American Community Day.
Upon welcome, guests were guided through a tour of the campus to view the construction site upon which Swaminarayan Akshardham Mahamandir will manifest in coming years. They also had an opportunity to perform Abhishek in the newly inaugurated Ghanshyam Maharaj Abhishek Murti along with their families. The program began with an educational video about BAPS and its activities serving individuals, families, and communities around the world. Prominent members of the Hindu community shared their impressions on the impact of Akshardham on North American land, calling all attendees to action to strengthen the foundation of this Mahamandir in every which way possible.
Pujya Anandswarupdas Swami and Pujya Brahmaviharidas Swami spoke about the Swaminarayan Akshardham and the gift it will serve for humanity. This timeless gift will fuel social change and inspire the transformation of lives in the future just through its being.
During the event, His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj inaugurated An Introduction to Swaminarayan Hindu Theology, a book that eloquently provides an intelligible account of Swaminarayan Hindu beliefs from the teachings of Bhagwan Swaminarayan and Hindu scriptures. The book is authored by Paramtattvadas Swami and published by Cambridge University Press. Honorary guests, including Professor Raymond Williams, Professor Francis Clooney and Professor Ravi Gupta, all commended Swami Paramtattvadas’ landmark achievement and spoke about the broad impact of this literary work on scholars, students and serious readers.
Reflecting on his experience at the event, Mr. David Fried, Mayor of Robbinsville, expressed that BAPS has served as an invaluable resource to the community by consciously delivering support for the diverse needs of Robbinsville. BAPS has provided shelter for many during Hurricane Sandy as well as been a forerunner in contributing to the local charities around the Robbinsville community.
Through events such as this, BAPS continues to encourage civic responsibility, unity, and the spirit of service amongst the community.