British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his wife Akshata Murty visited the Akshardham temple on Sunday and offered prayers amid tight security.
Sunak was then greeted by swamis, as well as senior leaders from the Akshardham Mandir, who relayed a special message on behalf of Mahant Swami Maharaj, spiritual leader of the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS). The British Prime Minister spent almost 45 minutes at the temple and he visited every statue personally. He also performed an aarti at the temple, according to Akshardham Temple official Jyotindra Dave.
Sunak, who was dressed in a crisp white shirt and navy blue trousers, and his wife, who paired a beige kurta with a bright pink dupatta and loose pants, reached the temple early morning at 6.30 am and were accorded a traditional welcome. Ahead of the UK Prime Minister’s visit, elaborate security arrangements were put in place in and around the temple.
“Prime Minister Sunak and his wife Akshata Murty walked barefoot in the temple premises even in rainy weather. From the reception area to the main temple complex, there is a distance of about 150 metres and both of them walked barefoot back and forth,” according to an official.
“They first offered flower petals (pushparpan) to the golden idol of Swaminarayan and then offered ‘aarti’, he said.”They also offered flower petals to idols of Sita-Ram, Radha-Krishna, Laxmi Narayana and Shiva-Parvati in the temple complex. The UK PM enquired about the architecture of the temple and its history,” the official said.
He also saw some of the sanctified items that belonged to Swaminarayan, such as shoes and a garland, the official added.
During his visit, the British Prime Minister was given an overview of Swaminarayan Akshardham, a 100-acre spiritual and cultural complex that portrays the traditions and ancient architecture of India and promotes the timeless Hindu spiritual messages of faith, devotion and harmony, a statement issued by BAPS said.
Inside the main temple complex, Sunak and his wife paid their respects to the sacred images and admired the art and architecture. “The couple also performed abhishek (ritual pouring of water) on the ‘murti’ of Nilkanth Varni Maharaj, and offered prayers for world peace, progress and harmony, the statement said. Sunak and his wife spent about 45 minutes at the Akshardham temple and offered prayers. They were gifted a marble elephant and a marble peacock besides a special replica of Akshardham, a senior temple management said.
“It rained but Sunak and his wife graciously offered prayers at our temple and it is a matter of great honour for us to have hosted them at this revered temple,” he said. A trustee of the BAPS Swaminarayan Trust, UK and a volunteer from the Neasden temple in London accompanied Sunak and his wife during their visit, said another temple management official who was part of the reception team. “My wife and I were delighted to visit Swaminarayan Akshardham for darshan and puja this morning. We were amazed and awed by the beauty of this temple and its universal message of peace, harmony, and becoming a better human being. “This is not only a place of worship, but a landmark that also portrays India’s values, culture and contributions to the world,” Sunak said. “We see today in Britain these very same values and culture through the positive contributions the British Indian community makes to our country,” he said. “I was honoured to have received the blessings of His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj conveyed to me this morning, and I understand that His Holiness is inaugurating another beautiful Swaminarayan Akshardham temple in Robbinsville, USA very soon. I would like to send my very best wishes to His Holiness and all the devotees of BAPS ahead of the opening,” Sunak said. He was also offered a model of the Akshardham temple as a gift.
Brahmavihari Swami, the senior swami of the sanstha, said it was an honour to welcome the British prime minister to Swaminarayan Akshardham and share Mahant Swami Maharaj’s message of peace, unity and public service. The UK’s relationship with India is built on a bond of friendship and fostered by cultural exchanges as well as a vibrant Indian diaspora in the UK, he said.