On Thursday 6 April 2006, numerous devotees visited BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Neasden, London to celebrate the sacred festival of Shri Swaminarayan Jayanti and Ramnavmi. To mark this auspicious occasion, grand annakuts was offered to the deities.
At 12 noon, the sadhus performed the birth arti of Shri Ramchandra. All the devotees had the opportunity to rock the cradle of Shri Ramchandra.
During the course of the day, devotees were also given the opportunity of offering abhishek to the sacred image of Nilkanth Varni (Bhagwan Swaminarayan).
In the evening bhajans and speeches extolling the virtues and greatness of Bhagwan Swaminarayan and Shri Ramchandraji were presented. The grand assembly culminated in the celebrations of the birth of Bhagwan Swaminarayan at 10:10pm.
On Saturday 8 April 2006, further celebrations of Shri Swaminarayan Jayanti took place with a wonderful programme in the evening in which countless devotees attended. The programme demonstrated through dramas, bhajans and discourses, the true inspiration provided by Bhagwan Swaminarayan to the devotees to lead morally upright lives.
During the day many devotees took part in the ‘Akhand Swaminarayan Dhun’ in front of the sacred image of sacred image of Nilkanth Varni (Bhagwan Swaminarayan).
Devotees from all over the country also gathered at the local mandirs and centres to celebrate this important festival.