BAPS How It Was Made

How It Was Made

Not in modern times had a traditional stone mandir of this scale and intricacy been created outside of India. It was the first time ever in the western world.

The Multi-Fold Challenge

Firstly, the Mandir had to conform to India’s ancient architectural texts, the Vastu Shastras, and yet also meet the requirements of Britain’s stringent building code.

Secondly, which stone would be durable enough to withstand the harsh British weather, strong enough to be self-load-bearing without any steel reinforcement or support (as prescribed by the Vastu Shastras), and soft enough for intricate carving?

Thirdly, how would this stone be brought together with the finest Hindu craftsmanship found only in India and be transported to north-west London?

After much research, deliberation and innovative engineering, along with much-needed guidance and blessings from His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj and the tireless efforts of thousands of volunteers, the pieces of this giant puzzle began to fall into place – quite literally.

Almost 3,000 tonnes of Bulgarian limestone was shipped 3,900 miles to India along with 1,200 tonnes of Italian Carrara marble, which made its own journey of 4,800 miles.

With a further 900 tonnes of Indian Ambaji marble, the over 5,000 tonnes of stone was hand-carved by more than 1,500 skilled artisans at 14 different sites around India into 26,300 pieces. These were then coded, packed and sent on their final 6,300-mile journey to London where each piece – the largest weighing 5.6 tonnes and the smallest only 50 grams – was assembled like a giant 3-dimensional jigsaw puzzle, all within 2.5 years.

The Haveli ,How It Was Made

How It Was Made

The Concept & Design

With the Mandir following an almost 200-year-old tradition within the Swaminarayan Sampradaya, it was natural that the adjacent cultural centre would also be in continuation of the havelis found in early 19th century Swaminarayan mandirs, some of them built under the auspices of Bhagwan Swaminarayan himself.

Like the stone mandir, though, a building in London with an intricate wooden façade and internal courtyards posed its own set of novel challenges. So as plans were being discussed, architects and structural engineers from both England and India visited examples of older havelis in India to see what could be possible in London. After much research, deliberation, testing and innovative engineering, working drawings were finalised in late 1992 for a functional and distinctively traditional haveli facility.

To learn more about the history and tradition of Haveli architecture, please click here.

The Wood

Two types of wood were selected for the making of the Haveli – Burmese Teak and English Oak.

Havelis in India have a long history of using Burmese Teak, and with its durability, natural water-resistant qualities and striking wood grain, it was also the perfect choice for the Haveli in London; for the exterior it needed to withstand the harsh British elements, yet its texture was ideal for the delicate carvings both inside and on the façade.

For the load-bearing beams and structural framework, English Oak was chosen because of its sturdiness and durability; its heartwood is said to be naturally resistant to decay.

Importantly, both types of wood were used in an environmentally sensitive way. To learn about how the timber was sourced from managed forests, and how over 10 saplings were planted for each tree felled, please click here.

The Crafting

The Haveli covers over 17,760 square feet of woodcarving. With this form of building having not been attempted for the last 100 years – carpenters had since dabbled in embellished furniture, but little more – it was a challenge to assemble a skilled workforce for a project of this scale and detail.

Eventually, 169 craftsmen were engaged as work began in December 1993. At 8 workshops across India – in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Bengal – they chipped and cut and patiently carved away.

Within a year and 8 months, the entire building with its intricately carved wooden features was ready for the opening.