BAPS Abhishek Mandap IN London

Abhishek Mandap

The Abhishek Mandap is a marble chamber on the lower floor of the main Mandir housing the sacred image of Shri Nilkanth Varni, the teenage form of Bhagwan Swaminarayan.

After renouncing his home at the tender age of 11, Bhagwan Swaminarayan embarked upon an epic journey of spiritual awakening that took him around India, into Nepal and Tibet, and through Myanmar (Burma) and Bangladesh. During this time, he came to be known as Nilkanth Varni. Barefooted and alone, Nilkanth walked more than 7,000 miles over 7 years, blessing the land and liberating numerous spiritual aspirants along the way. Carrying no maps, no food and no money, he crossed raging rivers, faced ferocious animals, and survived the freezing winter of the Himalayas. His solitary journey is a story of courage, kindness, and enlightenment.

To commemorate and pay tribute to Bhagwan Swaminarayan’s arduous journey, Pramukh Swami Maharaj ceremoniously dedicated the murti of Nilkanth Varni at the Mandir on 6 September 2004 allowing for a daily routine of abhishek and worship.

Abhishek is the ancient Hindu practice of pouring water over the sacred image of God to honour him and to attain his blessings. It is also an opportunity for devotees to pray to God, asking him to cleanse one’s soul. To learn more about the abhishek ritual and its religious significance, please click here.

The chamber itself is clad with Italian Carrara marble, while the murti of Nilkanth Varni is gilded brass.

He is depicted mid-step (in classical contrapposto pose); emaciated, yet with a calm and resolute look. With hair matted above and a small gutko (handwritten manuscript with excerpts from sacred texts) wrapped in a kerchief around his neck, he is wearing nothing but his loincloth tied at the waist by a jute cord. In his left hand, he is carrying a dand (wooden staff) and kamandalu (drinking pot made from dry gourd), both common marks of Hindu asceticism. The pedestal upon which he stands and the delicately designed lotus basin into which the water falls are both cast in brass.

Abhishek

Abhishek

Abhishek is the ancient Hindu practice of pouring water over the sacred image of God to honour him and to attain his blessings. It is also an opportunity for devotees to pray to God, asking him to cleanse one’s soul.

On special occasions, panchamrut – a holy mixture of milk, yogurt, honey, sugar and ghee – is used instead of water.

In the Abhishek Mandap on the lower floor of the Mandir, a gilded brass image of Shri Nilkanth Varni (Bhagwan Swaminarayan) has been enshrined to commemorate and pay tribute to his epic journey as a teenager.

Abhishek of this small sacred image is performed daily to the chanting of Vedic verses, including the ancient peace-prayer called the Shanti-Paath, and the recital of the 108 auspicious and liberating names of Bhagwan Swaminarayan, called the Janmangal Namavali. In all, the complete ceremony takes around 15 minutes, and is performed daily between 9.30am and noon, and again from 4pm to 5.30pm.

Devotees often offer an abhishek – or arrange for one to be performed on their behalf – on days of special significance to them, such as a birthday, wedding anniversary or in remembrance of a loved one, or sometimes to seek blessings for a personal reason.