Space to Seek Blessings
Abhishek Mandapam
The Abhishek Mandapam is on the lower level of the Youth Activity Center. Abhishek is the Hindu ritual of pouring water over the murti to honor God and seek blessings.
Here, a gilded brass murti of Shri Nilkanth Varni Maharaj (Bhagwan Swaminarayan) is enshrined to commemorate his epic journey as a teenager. All are welcome to perform the ritual.
Abhishek Ritual
Abhishek is the ancient Hindu practice of pouring water over the sacred image of God to honour him and to attain his blessings. It is also an opportunity for devotees to pray to God, asking him to cleanse one’s soul.
Devotees often offer an abhishek – or arrange for one to be performed on their behalf – on days of special significance to them, such as a birthday, wedding anniversary or in remembrance of a loved one, or sometimes to seek blessings for a personal reason.
"They who perform the abhishek ritual… receive the merit of visiting all the holy places of pilgrimage and performing all the sacrificial rites."
Aniruddha Samhita 19.122-124
Dedicated to Bhagwan Swaminarayan
The Abhishek Mandap is a marble chamber on the lower floor of the main Mandir housing the sacred image of Shri Nilkanth Varni, the teenage form of Bhagwan Swaminarayan.
After renouncing his home at the tender age of 11, Bhagwan Swaminarayan embarked upon an epic journey of spiritual awakening that took him around India, into Nepal and Tibet, and through Myanmar (Burma) and Bangladesh. During this time, he came to be known as Nilkanth Varni. Barefooted and alone, Nilkanth walked 8,000 miles over 7 years, blessing the land and liberating numerous spiritual aspirants along the way. Carrying no maps, no food and no money, he crossed raging rivers, faced ferocious animals, and survived the freezing winter of the Himalayas. His solitary journey is a story of courage, kindness, and enlightenment.
Sacred Image of Shri Nilkanth Varni
The murti of Nilkanth Varni is gilded brass. He is depicted mid-step (in classical contrapposto pose); emaciated, yet with a calm and resolute look. With hair matted above and a small gutko (handwritten manuscript with excerpts from sacred texts) wrapped in a kerchief around his neck, he is wearing nothing but his loincloth tied at the waist by a jute cord. In his left hand, he is carrying a dand (wooden staff) and kamandalu (drinking pot made from dry gourd), both common marks of Hindu asceticism.
Dedicated Prayer Space
To commemorate and pay tribute to Bhagwan Swaminarayan’s arduous journey, Pramukh Swami Maharaj ceremoniously dedicated the murti of Nilkanth Varni at the Mandir allowing for a daily routine of abhishek and worship. This space is also utilized for weekly mahapuja (or collective prayers for peace) and small ceremonies.