What rituals are performed here?
Worshipping the Divine
Hindu rituals are structured ways one can express devotion and focus towards the Divine. In a mandir, you may see devotees praying, meditating and performing other forms of worship. These practices are designed to cultivate reverence, gratitude, and inner discipline.
Arti
Arti is one of the most popular and well-known rituals in Hinduism.
Arti is a devotional ceremony in which a lamp is waved before the God while devotees sing prayers. It symbolizes the removal of darkness by true spiritual enlightenment. During arti, the five elements (fire, water, earth, sky and space) are offered to the murti. Following the Arti, verses are sung to extoll the glory of God. Arti takes place several times a day and is one of the most vibrant moments to experience in the mandir.
Click here to learn the 'Shri Swaminarayan Arti' which is sung at the mandir.
Participate in the arti ritual at 11:15 a.m. (duration: 10 minutes) or 7:00 p.m. (duration: 20 minutes).
Please note: Males and females must sit int he designated areas during the entire duration of the ceremony.
Darshan
Darshan is the experience of prayerfully seeing the Divine in the mandir. People approach the shrine quietly, focus their attention, and offer a short prayer. For many, darshan is a moment of gratitude and inner reset. Visitors are welcome to observe respectfully or participate in their own way.
Pradakshina
Pradakshina is the practice of walking clockwise around the shrine as a form of reverence. Pradakshina is a reminder that God is the center of one's life. It can be done 5, 7 or any odd number of times and is as much a meditation in motion as it is a ritual. You may borrow a rosary to chant while performing pradakshina around the central shrine.
Dandvat Pranam
All of mankind’s karmas (actions) are performed through mind, body, or speech, and every karma in life should be offered to God.
Devotees perform dandvat pranam by lying fully prostrate on the floor with their arms stretched out towards the murtis. It is a symbol of complete submission that reminds devotees to respect God and cultivate humility. Specifically, eight parts of the body should touch the floor (feet, thighs, chest, mind, head, speech, eyes).
An alternative version is panchang pranam. Panchang pranam is bowing down with five specific parts of the body touching the ground (knees, hands, chest, mind/forehead, and speech).
Vedic Mahapuja
Mahapuja is a sacred Vedic worship ceremony in which devotees offer heartfelt prayers and devotional rituals to God, guided by the chanting of powerful mantras. During the ceremony, sixteen offerings are made to God as an expression of love, gratitude, and surrender. This ritual is performed every Sunday morning in the Abhishek Mandapam.