His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj cultivated a vision to revive the Hindu values in the northwestern area of Georgia with his visit in 2000. With His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s blessings, the seeds of satsang were planted. Then, through His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj’s inspiration and the tireless efforts of the devotees, nearly a decade later that seed has grown into a large sapling. The culmination of this vision was achieved on August 25-26, 2018 with the inauguration of a new BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Chattanooga, Tennessee in the presence of Sadguru Pujya Ghanshyamcharan Swami and other respected Swamis.
During the afternoon of Saturday, August 25, 2018, as per traditional Hindu customs, a procession of the murtis in colorful and elaborately decorated floats took place. The evening was brought to life with an enthralling kirtan aradhana (singing of devotional hymns) that had the crowd mesmerized.
The auspicious occasion of Murti Sthapan took place on Sunday, August 26, 2018, in the presence of Pujya Ghanshyamcharan Swami. Devotees and members of the local Hindu community and government dignitaries participated in the traditional mahapuja. The murtis of Bhagwan Swaminarayan and Aksharbrahma Shri Gunatitanand Swami, the Guru Parampara, Shri Radha-Krishna, Shri Sita-Ram-Hanumanji, and Shri Shiv-Parvati-Ganeshji were consecrated. These murtis were originally consecrated by His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj on July 5, 2017, in Atlanta, GA.
Sadguru Pujya Ghanshyamcharan Swami closed the festivities by thanking BAPS devotees and volunteers for their contributions and spirit of togetherness. He added that with the blessings of His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj, the new Mandir would serve as a center of spiritual, societal and charitable services in the region for generations to come.