History

BAPS in London

The roots of BAPS in London stretch back over 50 years to the early 1950s where London was recovering from the aftermath of World War II. A small group of devotees would meet regularly in an office, after which the Saturday evening assemblies moved to a house in Baker Street in London.

The organisation was officially registered in 1959, planting the seeds for growth which spread to Manchester in 1964, with the first significant milestone achieved in 1970 through the acquisition of small church in Elmore Street, Islington through the blessings of Yogiji Maharaj, the predecessor of Pramukh Swami Maharaj, who inaugurated the first Mandir in the UK.

The expansion of the organisation inspired a larger Mandir and assembly hall to be built upon a 2.25-acre factory site in Neasden, North London, which was inaugurated by Pramukh Swami Maharaj in 1982. The growth continued unabated, with centres being established across the country. The Cultural Festival of India was celebrated on the grounds of Alexandra Palace in London. During the annual Annakut festival as many as 20,000 devotees and Indians came for darshan at the Neasden mandir.

Vision of Pramukh Swami Maharaj

The vision of Pramukh Swami Maharaj inspired the most significant change for the organisation. He observed a ‘For Sale’ sign opposite the site of the Mandir in Neasden. Work on the new mandir began in November 1992 and in an astonishing period of 2.5 years, a shikharbaddh mandir was inaugurated by Pramukh Swami Maharaj.

From the humble beginnings of a handful of devotees five decades ago, a seven pinnacle mandir stands elegantly as a symbol, a source, a citadel of culture and faith for all future generations. Today, the Mandir offers something for everyone, having adapted through its history to ensure a devotee or a visitor is offered an uplifting experience.