Johannesburg has officially welcomed the largest Hindu temple and cultural complex in the Southern Hemisphere.
The BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, located in Northriding, was inaugurated with a grand celebration that drew thousands of attendees last week, marking a historic moment for the Hindu community.
The temple spans an impressive 37,000 square meters and serves as a cultural and spiritual hub. It will play a pivotal role in promoting interfaith dialogue, humanitarian service, and cultural enrichment.
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Built by the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS), a globally respected spiritual and volunteer-driven organisation, the temple features an exquisitely designed cultural complex, a traditional Hindu mandir covering 2,500 square meters, and various community spaces, including a research institute, classrooms, an auditorium, and a banquet hall.
Sustainability was a key focus in its construction, with the integration of solar-ready technology, water efficiency measures, and the planting of over 500 trees to support environmental conservation.
“Built by thousands of volunteers, the iconic centre is accordingly, first of its kind in the African continent, and it brings together people from all walks of life,” says Deputy President Paul Mashatile, who was in attendance of the first phase of the temple’s opening.
“As a symbol of warm welcome, I was garlanded, tied with a sacred thread and marked with a red dot (Chandlo) on my forehead by the senior leadership of BAPS, Anandswarup Swami, Tapovatsal Swami as well as Brahmavihari Swami,” wrote Mashatile, in a social media post sharing images from the temple’s grand opening.
The opening of the Johannesburg temple follows the inauguration of a similar BAPS temple in Abu Dhabi in 2024, by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Article originally published by Getaway.
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Feature Image: BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir
