Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Cardiff facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Shri Swaminarayan Mandir |
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| Geography | |
| Coordinates | 51°28′26″N 3°11′10″W / 51.474°N 3.186°W |
| Country | Wales, United Kingdom |
| Locale | Cardiff |
The Shri Swaminarayan Mandir is a special Swaminarayan temple located in the Grangetown area of Cardiff. Cardiff is the capital city of Wales. This temple is the first and largest Hindu temple in Wales. It belongs to the NarNarayan Dev Gadi branch of the Swaminarayan Sampraday faith.
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History of the Cardiff Swaminarayan Temple
This temple was the very first Swaminarayan temple in Wales. It was bought in 1979 and first opened its doors in 1982. Back then, the temple was in a building that used to be a synagogue (a Jewish place of worship). In 1993, the temple moved to its current location. This new spot was right across the road from the old one. It took the place of an old Irish club.
Modernizing the Temple: Refurbishment Project
Between 2005 and 2007, the temple went through a big update called a refurbishment. This project cost about £700,000. During this time, many new things were added.
- New marble statues were placed inside the temple.
- Three white stone spires were added to the roof. These were the first spires on a Hindu temple in Wales.
- The outside of the temple was changed to look like a traditional Hindu temple.
- New classrooms and living areas were built.
The three spires were placed above three new altars inside the building. One altar was for women, one for men, and one was for everyone. Half of the original temple building was taken down and rebuilt. While the work was happening, services were held in a temporary room downstairs. Most of the money for these updates came from donations by the community. The temple also received a grant of £110,000 from the Welsh Assembly Government. This money helped with repairs and to build special access for people with disabilities.
Helping the Community: Temple's Spirit
The temple is very active in helping people. When an earthquake hit Gujarat, India, in 2001, people from the temple quickly collected money. They raised £30,000 in just three days for the victims. The temple priest even flew to India to help manage the relief work. Hundreds of bags of clothes were also given by the community. These clothes were sent to Bhuj, which was the center of the earthquake.
Later that same year, the September 11 attacks happened in the United States. The temple, along with other religious groups in Cardiff, held a special service. This service remembered the people who died in the attacks.
Celebrating 25 Years: A Big Anniversary
The temple's refurbishment was finished just in time for its 25th anniversary in 2007. A very important person, Acharya Maharajshri Koshalendraprasadji Maharaj, attended the event. He is the spiritual leader of the NarNarayan Dev Gadi. He helped place the new statues in the temple.
About 3,000 people took part in a colorful procession through Cardiff. This parade was about 1.6 miles long and included music and dance. It celebrated 25 years of the faith in the city. The procession started at the civic center. It passed by Cardiff Castle and the Millennium Stadium before reaching the temple. To help different religions understand each other, leaders from other faiths were invited to join. The procession was even shown live on the internet. It was the main event of a week-long celebration for the temple's new look.
Diwali Celebrations and a Special Visitor
In 2008, the First Minister for Wales, Rhodri Morgan, visited the temple. He came to celebrate Diwali, a very important Hindu festival. Mr. Morgan was given a tour of the newly updated temple.
During his visit, Mr. Morgan gave traditional New Year's Day gifts to young boys. These gifts are called Bestu Varas. Young girls received their gifts from Grangetown Councillor, Francesca Montemaggi. The temple put on a musical performance for the event. The celebration ended with the Aarti, a special prayer. Police students from the South Wales Police also attended. They wanted to learn more about the Hindu religion and its customs.
Images for kids
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Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Cardiff
