| Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Dholera | |
|---|---|
 The temple at Dholera | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Hinduism |
| Deity | Radha Krishna |
| Festivals | Janmashtami, Radhashtami, Holi |
| Location | |
| Location | Dholera |
| State | Gujarat |
| Country | India |
| Architecture | |
| Creator | Swaminarayan |
| Completed | May 19, 1826 |
Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Dholera is a Hindu temple in Dholera, Gujarat, India, and is one of nine Shri Swaminarayan Temples built by Swaminarayan. [1]
Dholera itself is an ancient port-city, 30 km from Dhandhuka of Ahmedabad district.
The making this temple with three spires was supervised and planned by Nishkulanand Swami, Atmanand Swami, Akshardanand Swami and Dharmprasad Swami.
The land on which the building is sited was donated by Darbar Punjabhai. Swaminarayan Bhagwan, when camping in Kamiala, was requested by the devotees Shri Punjabhai and others, to go to Dholera to install idols in the new temple in Dholera. Swaminarayan bhagwan asked Brahmin priests to find out an auspicious time for the installation ceremony.
Swaminarayan bhagwan graced Dholera on the request from Punjabhai and other devotees, and on May 19, 1826, and installed the idols of Madan Mohan dev and his own form, Harikrishna Maharaj, at the principal seat of the temple amidst Vedic hymns. [2] Swaminarayan bhagwan then appointed Adbhutanand Swami as the temple's mahant. [3]
The central altar is graced with the idols of deities Madan Mohan Dev (Krishna), Radha ji and HariKrishna Maharaj. Besides the deities in the inner temple and Garbhagriha, Hanuman and Ganapati grace Roop Chowki near the main stairway of the temple. On the west, near the steps, there are the idols of Sheshashayi, Suryanarayan, Dharm-Bhakti and Ghanshyam Maharaj. The idols of Shankar and Parvati are on the right hand side.
Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha is a Hindu denomination within the Swaminarayan Sampradaya. It was formed in 1905 by Yagnapurushdas following his conviction that Swaminarayan remained present on earth through a lineage of gurus starting with Gunatitanand Swami.
Swaminarayan, also known as Sahajanand Swami, was a yogi and ascetic, who is believed by followers to be a manifestation of God Krishna, or as the highest manifestation of Purushottam, and around whom the Swaminarayan Sampradaya developed.
Yogiji Maharaj, born Jina Vasani, was a Hindu swami and the fourth spiritual successor of Swaminarayan in the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS), a major branch of the Swaminarayan Sampradaya. According to the metaphysics of BAPS, Yogiji Maharaj is considered to be the next iteration of Akshar after Shastriji Maharaj in the guru parampara, an unbroken line of "perfect devotees" who provide "authentication of office through Gunatitanand Swami and back to Swaminarayan himself." Together with Pramukh Swami Maharaj, who acted as the administrative head of BAPS, he was instrumental in nurturing the growth of BAPS "through new programs, expansion into new areas, and the construction of temples". As guru, he consecrated over 60 temples and visited over 4000 towns and villages. He was particularly effective in attracting the devotion of youths and initiated a large number of them as ascetics. Furthermore, his multiple tours to Britain and East Africa were integral in the overseas expansion of BAPS. He died on 23 January 1971 after appointing Pramukh Swami Maharaj as his successor.
Gunatitanand Swami, born Mulji Jani, was a prominent paramhansa of the Swaminarayan Sampradaya who was ordained by Swaminarayan and is accepted as the first spiritual successor of Swaminarayan by the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS). Born into a religious family in the small farming community of Bhadra in Gujarat, India, he first received religious education under his father's guru, Ramanand Swami before encountering Swaminarayan and becoming a swami under him at the age of 25. He was revered for his spiritual discourses and divine service
Nishkulanand Swami (1766–1848) was a paramhansa and swami of the Swaminarayan Sampradaya.
The Vachanamrut is a sacred Hindu text consisting of 273 religious discourses delivered by Swaminarayan from 1819 to 1829 CE and is considered the principal theological text within the Swaminarayan Sampradaya. Compiled by four of his senior disciples, Swaminarayan edited and approved the scripture. As followers believe Swaminarayan to be Parabrahman, or God, the Vachanamrut is considered a direct revelation from God and thus the most precise interpretation of the Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita, and other important Hindu scriptures.
The BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir of Houston, Texas is a traditional Hindu temple built by the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha. It is in unincorporated Fort Bend County, Texas, within the extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ) of Stafford and with a Stafford mailing address.
The BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir of Chicago, Illinois is a traditional Hindu place of worship built by the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha. The BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, which is headed by Mahant Swami Maharaj, is a denomination of the Swaminarayan Sampradaya within Hinduism. The mandir is located in the Chicago suburb of Bartlett and opened on August 7, 2004. It was built of hand-carved Italian marble and Turkish limestone. The mandir is the largest of its kind in Illinois and was constructed in accordance to the Shilpa shastras. The mandir complex spreads over 27 acres and includes the mandir and the haveli.
Shastriji Maharaj, born Dungar Patel and ordained Shastri Yagnapurushdas, was a swami of the Swaminarayan Sampradaya and founder of the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS). Several branches accept him as the third spiritual successor of Swaminarayan in the lineage of Aksharbrahma Gurus through whom Swaminarayan manifests, which began with Gunatitanand Swami. Born in a family of farmers in central Gujarat, India, he became a swami within the Vadtal diocese of the Swaminarayan Sampradaya at the age of 17 where he was given the name Yagnapurushdas Swami. The prefix Shastri was later added in recognition of his eminent scholarship in Sanskrit and the Hindu scriptures. He established BAPS after a doctrinal split from the Vadtal diocese of the Swaminarayan Sampradaya.
Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Mumbai is a Hindu temple (Mandir) and a part of the Swaminarayan Sampraday. This Swaminarayan Temple is located in the Bhuleshwar area of Mumbai and is the oldest Swaminarayan Mandir in Mumbai, being over a hundred years old.
Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Junagadh is a Hindu temple in Junagadh, Gujarat, India. This temple was ordered to be built by Swaminarayan himself, the founder of the Swaminarayan Sampradaya.
Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Bhuj is a Hindu temple in Bhuj. This temple was constructed by Swaminarayan, founder of the Swaminarayan Sampradaya.
The BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Atlanta, Georgia is a traditional Hindu mandir, or place of worship, inaugurated on August 26, 2007 by the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, a denomination of the Swaminarayan branch of Hinduism headed by Mahant Swami Maharaj. The mandir is located in the Lilburn suburb of Atlanta and was constructed in accordance with the Shilpa shastras, which are ancient Hindu architectural scriptures. It was the largest mandir of its kind outside of India. The mandir is made of 34,450 pieces of hand-carved Italian marble, Turkish Limestone and Indian pink sandstone, and are all situated on over 30 acres of landscaped grounds. The mandir complex also includes a large assembly hall, family activity center, classrooms, and an exhibition on the key tenets of Hinduism.
The Naranarāyan Dēv Gadī, named after NarNarayan Dev, is one of the two Gadis (seats) that together form the Swaminarayan Sampraday. Its headquarter is at the Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Ahmedabad and controls the Uttar Vibhag.
The Swaminarayan Sampradaya, also known as Swaminarayan Hinduism and Swaminarayan movement, is a Hindu Vaishnava sampradaya rooted in Ramanuja's Vishishtadvaita, characterized by the worship of its charismatic founder Sahajanand Swami, better known as Swaminarayan (1781–1830), as an avatar of Krishna or as the highest manifestation of Purushottam, the supreme God. According to the tradition's lore, both the religious group and Sahajanand Swami became known as Swaminarayan after the Swaminarayan mantra, which is a compound of two Sanskrit words, swami and Narayan.
The Swaminarayan mantra, "Swaminarayan," is a mantra used by the Swaminarayan Sampradaya. It is a compound of two words: Swami and Narayan, that is, Vishnu c.q. Purushottam. According to the Swaminarayan-tradition, the Swaminarayan Mantra was introduced and explained by Swaminarayan, also known as Sahajanand Swami, spiritual head of the Swaminarayan Sampradaya, shortly after the death of his predecessor, Ramanand Swami. Devotees chant the Swaminarayan mantra to offer worship, to allay distress, to pray for the welfare of others, and at the end-of-life. Several scriptures of the Swaminarayan Sampradaya, such as the Swamini Vato, Harililamrut, and Bhaktachintamani, describe the power and efficacy of the Swaminarayan mantra for one who chants it.
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