THE Baps Shri Swaminarayan Mandhir in Durban is celebrating its 25th anniversary this weekend.
The temple in Manor Gardens was officially opened on August 9, 1999.
A three-day event to celebrate the silver jubilee began on Friday. Among the guests are eight visiting swamis (spiritual masters) from Nairobi and the United Arab Emirates.
South Africa’s new High Commissioner to India, Professor Anil Sooklal, addressed a gathering at the temple on Friday.
Sooklal said the temple was a beacon of light and he was grateful for all it had done and the thousands of lives it had touched in the last 25 years, and the hopes and aspirations of the community that was embedded in the temple.
“You are a living embodiment of Bhagwan Swaminarayan. Becoming an ambassador is a complex process. As per the provisions of our Constitution, it is the prerogative of only the president to appoint an ambassador,” he said.
Sooklal said he had had the privilege of serving South Africa as ambassador to the EU, Belgium, and Luxembourg. He returned in 2012.
“I was very blessed that at an early period of our democracy, way back in 2001, I was put in charge of Asia and the Middle East and have been responsible for 32 embassies in that region of the world.
“It was for me a great privilege to serve my country and I learnt so much during this period,” said Sooklal.
He said people asked him how he transitioned from being an academic, teaching religion and philosophy, to becoming a diplomat.
“I often say I had the best grounding in becoming a diplomat. It is because of my study of Hinduism and Hindu scriptures that gave me the basis to be a successful diplomat. During my period I experienced what Hindu scriptures speak about, the joys of life and the pain and suffering of life,“ Sooklal said.
He said he was privileged to be going to India.
Swami Sadhu Brahmaviharidas, from the UAE – who is also the global PRO head of Baps Swaminarayan Sanstha and was the driving force behind the temple in Abu Dhabi, the Baps Hindu Mandir – will give a motivational talk today at the Kendra Hall from 11am to 1pm on “Managing our moods” – maintaining love, peace and harmony in this ever challenging world. This will be followed by lunch.