Shree Sanatan Hindu Mandir facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Shree Sanatan Hindu Mandir |
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A side view of the Shree Sanatan Hindu Mandir in Wembley, London
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| Geography | |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| District | Greater London |
| Location | Wembley, London Borough of Brent |
| Elevation | 20 m (66 ft) |
| Architecture | |
| Architectural styles | Vedic/North Indian |
| Inscriptions | Vasudev Kutumbakaum |
| History and governance | |
| Creator | Shri Vallabh Nidhi UK |
| Website | Official website http://www.svnuk.org/ |
The Shree Sanatan Hindu Mandir is the name for two important Hindu temples in London, United Kingdom. A "mandir" is a place of worship for followers of Hinduism. These temples are located in Wembley and Whipps Cross (near Leytonstone). A charity called Shri Vallabh Nidhi UK manages both temples.
These temples follow Sanatan Dharma, which is a traditional name for Hinduism. They aim to be welcoming to all Hindu traditions and people, not just one specific group.
Contents
The Leytonstone Temple: A Place of Worship
The first Shree Sanatan Hindu Mandir is in Leytonstone. It is also known as Shri Nathji Mandir. This temple first opened its doors in June 1980.
Deities at Leytonstone
Inside the Leytonstone temple, you can find statues of several important Hindu deities. These include Shri Ram, Shrinathji, Shiv Parivaar (Lord Shiva and his family), Amba Mataji, Jalaram Bapa, and Hanumanji.
The Wembley Temple: A Modern Marvel
The Shree Sanatan Hindu Mandir in Wembley is a much newer and larger temple. It opened in the summer of 2010. Building this amazing structure took 14 years to complete.
Building Materials and Design
The Wembley temple is special because it is made entirely of limestone imported from India. It was built following ancient Hindu holy texts. This means it does not use any steel supports in its construction. The temple stands on a large area of about 2.4 acres (9,700 square meters).
Hand-Carved Details
Many parts of the temple were carefully hand-carved in Sola, a town in the Indian state of Gujarat. These beautiful pieces were then flown all the way to Britain and put together. There are 41 marble statues of deities that were specially made in India for this mandir.
The inside of the temple is richly decorated. You can see detailed carvings on the pillars and walls. There are also many shrines with colorful painted figures of Hindu deities. Interestingly, some carvings also feature famous spiritual leaders and figures from other religions. These include Mother Teresa and the Sikh Guru Nanak. The tallest part of the temple reaches 66 feet (20 meters) high.
Deities at Wembley
The Wembley temple is home to many deities. These include Shri Ganeshji, Shri Sahajanand Swami, Shri Amba Mataji, Shri Simandhar Swami, Shri Radha Krishna, Shri Ram Darbar, Shri Shrinathji, Shri Tirupati Balaji, Shri Shiv Parivar, Shri Jalaram Bapa, and Shri Hanumanji.
Funding the Temple
The construction of the Wembley temple was made possible by money raised by the charity Shri Vallabh Nidhi UK (SVNUK).
Shri Vallabh Nidhi UK: The Charity Behind the Temples
Shri Vallabh Nidhi UK is the charity that manages both the Leytonstone and Wembley temples. It was started by Vaishnav Hindus in London.
Charity's Goals
One of the main goals of the charity is to "Advance the Hindu religion." This means they work to promote and teach Hindu beliefs. They follow the teachings of Vallabha Acharya, who founded the Pushtimarg tradition. However, even with this specific background, the temples are designed to be welcoming to all Hindu traditions and people from different backgrounds. The charity was founded by Late Shri Balmukund P Parikh and Shri Ramanbhai Patel. They had the blessings of Krishna Shankar Shashriji (Dadaji).
