BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Lilongwe
A mandir (Hindu place of worship) is best understood as a multi-purpose sacred environment.
At its center is worship: people come to offer prayer, practice devotion, and seek inner peace. Mandirs also function as places of learning where values and teachings are shared through talks, classes, and guided explanations of ritual meaning.
Visitors also experience mandirs as cultural and community centers, especially during festivals, when families gather across generations.
Worship Space
The central area of a mandir is a worship space. People come to offer prayers, have darshan, and participate in rituals like aarti. The space is kept quiet and respectful to support concentration. Even visitors who simply observe can experience the atmosphere of reverence and calm.
Learning Space
Mandirs are also learning spaces. Mandirs offer weekly Satsang forums that explain beliefs, rituals, and values. These learning spaces cater to people of all ages - children, youth, adults.
Murtis (Sacred Images)
A murti is a sacred image used in Hindu worship. It serves as a respectful focus for prayer, helping devotees connect with God with attention and sincerity. In temples, murtis are cared for with cleanliness and reverence. Many Hindus understand murti worship as worship of God through a sacred form—not worship of the material itself.
Bhagwan Swaminarayan
Bhagwan Swaminarayan (1781–1830) is regarded as the origin of the Swaminarayan tradition. His teachings emphasized devotion, moral discipline, and compassion. He encouraged structured worship and community learning and promoted values that strengthened personal character and social responsibility.
His life and message became the foundation for the tradition’s later development and for the guidance of the Guru Parampara.
Gunatitand Swami
Gunatitanand Swami (1785–1867) is remembered as a major spiritual leader who guided devotees through teachings and personal example. In the BAPS understanding of Akshar-Purushottam philosophy, he is closely associated with Akshar, representing the ideal of spiritual perfection. He contributed to community stability and spiritual learning through discourses and guidance that emphasized disciplined living and devotion.
Akshar-Purushottam Philosophy
Akshar-Purushottam Darshan is the core theological and philosophical framework taught in the BAPS tradition. It describes Purushottam as the Supreme God and Akshar as an eternal divine reality associated with God and the ideal of spiritual perfection.
In this framework, spiritual growth is described in two steps: first, becoming “brahmarup,” meaning developing qualities associated with Akshar such as purity, steadiness, and selflessness; and second, offering loving devotion to Purushottam.
The philosophy also emphasizes the role of the living Guru in providing practical guidance and a visible example of the ideal.
The Living Guru
The living guru provides present-day guidance for spiritual practice and values. The guru offers teaching, encouragement, and a practical example of disciplined living.
Mahant Swami Maharaj
HH Mahant Swami Maharaj (born 1933) is the current guru in the BAPS tradition. His teachings emphasize inner peace, harmony in relationships, and steady spiritual practice in daily life. Under his guidance, BAPS continues its global outreach through mandirs, satsang programs, youth development, and service initiatives. He is known for encouraging practical application of values such as humility, compassion, and self-discipline.
Pramukh Swami Maharaj
Pramukh Swami Maharaj (1921-2016) was the fifth spiritual successor of Bhagwan Swaminarayan in the BAPS Swaminarayan tradition. He inspired millions around the world through his humility, compassion, devotion, and lifelong service to society. His message, “In the joy of others lies our own,” continues to guide people around the world.