Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla visited BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Neasden, London – popularly known as ‘Neasden Temple’ – to mark the Mandir’s 30th anniversary, coinciding with Diwali and the Hindu New Year celebrations.
Their Majesties were welcomed by Jitu Patel, Chair of the Board of Trustees. This was His Majesty’s first visit to the Mandir as monarch, following previous visits as the Prince of Wales, and Her Majesty’s third visit, reflecting the Royal Family’s longstanding and warm relationship with the Mandir and the BAPS Hindu community.
Since its opening in 1995, Neasden Temple has become an internationally acclaimed spiritual and cultural landmark, welcoming millions of visitors and worshippers from around the world and contributing to British society through initiatives in child and youth development, elderly welfare, health, and humanitarian relief.
Their Majesties were welcomed with flower garlands before proceeding to the Mandir’s upper sanctum, later pausing beneath the carved domes to appreciate the tranquillity and craftsmanship. After this brief reflection, His Majesty was introduced to the resident swamis, who greeted him warmly with folded hands in the traditional Hindu manner.
During their visit, Their Majesties met volunteers and community members and learned about the Temple’s charitable work, including its longstanding partnership with The Felix Project – a London-based charity that redistributes surplus food to alleviate hunger for the vulnerable – which also forms a part of His Majesty’s Coronation Food Project.
Along their tour, Their Majesties also learned about the upcoming BAPS Swaminarayan Hindu Mandir in Paris – the first traditional Hindu temple in France – opening next September, while meeting key members of the project team.
Several distinguished guests, including peers, Members of Parliament, councillors, mayors, industry leaders as well as various faith representatives and Hindu community leaders and members had joined the assembly to welcome Their Majesties and celebrate the joyous occasion.
Addressing the congregation, Yogvivekdas Swami, Head Swami of the Temple, remarked, “It was an honour for the community to welcome Their Majesties to Neasden Temple on this historic occasion. We are deeply grateful for their friendship and their continuing interest in our services for the community.”
His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj conveyed his prayers and blessings through a letter as well as a video message sent from India. He said, “Though I cannot be present, my heart and prayers are with you and the Royal Family. Pramukh Swami Maharaj would be delighted to see you here on this occasion. It is a personal delight to welcome you, as for many years in my teachings I have drawn upon your words from a speech you delivered in 1991, in which you said: ‘The most urgent need for Western man is to rediscover that divine element in his being, without which there can never be any possible hope or meaning to our existence in this earthly realm.’ That insight has stayed with me.”
As Their Majesties departed, they expressed their appreciation for the devotion and selfless service of the volunteers whose efforts sustain the Mandir’s spiritual and community life throughout the year.