E.A.S.S.Temple History

 

The Holy scripture of Ramayan was written by Maharishi Valmiki even before Lord Rama came on this earth and similarly Swaminarayan Sampradaya then known as Udhav Sampradaya was established before Lord Swaminarayan manifested himself on this earth. Swaminarayan Sampradaya in a short spell of time had spread wide and far in India and very many sikharbandh and Hari temples were built throughout India. Some more than 150 years back in the holy scriptures of Satsangi Jeevan, out of 108 names of Shri Hari in the 70th item of Janmamangal Satrok, Satanand Muni wrote Shri Hari's name as "Aah Samudrakritiye Namah" meaning I bow to Lord Shree Hari whose Kirti will be sung by all, on lands situated beyond the oceans.

 

The disciples of Lord Shree Swaminarayan both from the geographic areas of the dioces of Shri Narnarayan Dev Ahmedabad and Shri Laxminarayan Dev Vadtal, travelled to the Africa continent looking for green pastures and business intentions. They had no material wealth to bring to this continent but brought with them the rich heritage of Hindu culture and strong religious background. Those were the most difficult days for the disciples of Swaminarayan Sampradaya but their eternal faith in Shri Hari gave them the spiritual strength to overcome them.

 

The East Africa Satsang Mandal was founded in 1920s, though the first Swaminarayan Temple was built in Nairobi in 1945. This institution was established to cater for the disciples in Kenya, Uganda and Tanganyika (now called Tanzania). This Swaminarayan Temple under the banner of The East Africa Satsang Mandal was the first ever Swaminarayan temple in the world outside India. It also has a branch in Tanzania (Tanzania Satsang Mandal) which after the independence of Kenya and Tanganyika was given its own autonomous status.

 

The hunger, thirst and need for a Swaminarayan Temple in Nairobi by the disciples of Swaminarayan Sampradaya of both the dioces existed for many years but it was on 18th January 1945 the day of Vasant Panchmi, when the long cherished dream came to light. All the disciples originating from Kutch, Kathiawar and Gujarat got together and decided to put up a Swaminarayan Temple wherein all the Satsangis from both the dioces could come together, pray, perform all religious activities and recite the holy scriptures without any discrimination of any kind whatsoever; keeping this in mind to have a united strong sampradaya the constitution of the institution to follow strictly the traditions of main temples of Ahmedabad Narnarayan Dev and Vadtal Laxminarayan Dev and to hold both Acharya in equal esteem was adopted. The founder and the pioneer of the institution Late Shah Laljibhai Makanji Karania of Tardhari Devadia played a most important role in bringing about the success of long cherished dream. An application for the grant of land along Temple Road was made and the land was acquired on 18th January, 1945 (Vasant Pachmi), the foundation stone of the 1st ever Swaminarayan Temple outside India was laid by the pioneer and the then chairman of East Africa Satsang Mandal Late Lalji Makanji Karania.

 

 

The construction of the Temple progressed with zeal and speed and in 9 months time the temple was ready. Late Laljibhai Makanji Karania had got made up in India the Murti of Lord Shree Ghanshyam Maharaj with Sadguru Gunatitanand Swami and Sadguru Gopalanand Swami in the trimurti for the centre portion of the sinhasan and Lord Shree Narnarayan Dev and Lord Shree Laxminarayan Dev for the two side portions of the sinhasan and on the 26th December 1945 the said Idols were installed with grand Murti Patishta Mahotsav. The opening ceremony of the temple was performed by Shri Ramji Kanji Vekaria of Madhapar, Kutch, India. On this Murti Pratishta Mahotsav invitations were extended to several temples all over India. Messages of goodwill, prayers and very best wishes poured in from several parts of India from Satsangis and Sant Mahatmas.

 

As time passed Satsang continued to flourish and more and more Satsangis came into fold. All these time it was not possible for the learned saints of Swaminarayan Sampradaya to come out of India for the preaching to the Satsangis but with the establishment of this first ever Swaminarayan Temple outside India, an opening and facility was created for these saints to come out and preach the Gospel of Lord Shree Swaminarayan. Just within 2 years of this temple, in 1947, Swami Krishnaswarup Dasji of Shree Laxminarayan Temple, Vadtal came to this temple with his sant mandal and poured into Satsangis the nectar of knowledge and divinity of Lord Shree Swaminarayan. In 1950 a floor was added to the temple and in 1954 a 2 storey building was constructed.

 

In 1952 another Sant Mandal came to this temple from Laxminarayan Dev Temple, Vadtal. In 1956 another Sant Mandal comprising poet Sant Shree Vallabhdasji and Purani Swami Ghanshyamcharandasji from Shree Narnarayan Dev Ahmedabad came to this temple.

 

 

 

In 1957, a separate temple for ladies was established, and for murti pratishtha His Holiness the then Acharyamaharaj of Ahmedabad Narnarayan Dev dioces Shree Devendra Prasadji Maharaj was invited to install the Murti of Shree Ghanshyam Maharaj. His Holiness Acharya Maharajshri deputed the future Acharya the then Lalji Maharaj (His Holiness Tejendra Prasadji Maharaj) to perform the installation of the Murtis. The then Lalji Maharaj came to Nairobi with 4 Saints from Ahmedabad, with Purani Swami Shree Ghanshyam Jeevan Dasji and former Mahant Shastri Swami Narayanprasad Dasji. The installation of Murtis in the ladies temple was done by His Holiness the then Lalji Maharaj in a big grand religious ceremony on 26th December, 1957.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

        

 

The opening ceremony of the temple for ladies was performed by the late Ramjibhai Kunverji Raghwani of Baladia, Kutch, India. The whole ceremony was a spectacular one. Before the Murti Pratishtha Mahotsav, a special Guard of Honour was given to H.H. Lalji Maharaj by the Yuvak Sangh of Shree Cutchi Leva Patel Samaj, Nairobi and a Shobha Yatra of H.H. Lalji Maharaj was performed. Thousands of Satsangis and other Hindus participated in this Shobha Yatra. The Murtis of the Temple for the ladies were donated by the following donors: The Murti of Shree Ghanshyam Maharaj was donated by Param Bhakt Shree Karsan Kanji Hirani of Rampar and the silver frame was donated by Param Bhakt Shree Vishram Devji Halai of Dahisara. Both the Murtis of the adjoining sections of Sinhasan together with silver frames were donated by Param Bhakt Shree Murjibhai Natha and Hirjibhai Natha Varsani of Samatra, Kutch, India.

 

Thereafter saints from different Swaminarayan Temples and Swaminarayan convents came to this temple each year and the satsangis from this temple had maximum opportunities to linen from the divine and spiritual teachings of Lord Shree Swaminarayan. In 1958 Sant Mandal under the head of Shree Anirudhcharandasji of Shree Radha Raman Dev Temple, Junagadh visited our Temple. During the year 1969 and 1970 a Sant Mandal of Shree Swaminarayan Gurukul under the head of Gurukul's founder Saint Late His Holiness Reveren Shastri Swami Shree Dharmajeevan Dasji, on the invitation of our institute visited us. As soon as Pujya Shastri Swami Dharmajeevan Dasji received this temple's invitation, he sought the permission and blessing if His Holiness Acharya Maharaj of Vadtal Dioces who was extremely pleased to learn of the mission and gave his full blessings.

 

The Sant Mandal arrived in Nairobi on 18th December, 1969. This was the year when this temple was celebrating its Silver Jubilee. On this Silver Jubilee Celebration occasion, the saints from the Swaminarayan Gurukul read the Holy scripture Satsangi Jeevan. The Silver Jubilee Celebrations commenced on 20th December 1969 and ended on 26th December, 1969. On 27th September 1969, the ground breaking ceremony to the construction of residential flats on this institution's land which it had acquired was performed by Param Bhakt Devjibhai Bhimji & Bros, jointly with Param Pujya Shastriji Maharaj Shree Dharmajeevan Dasji. On 17th April 1970, Param Pujya Shastri Swami was honoured by the chairman of this institution Late Shri Devshi Dhanji Vekaria by presenting to Pujya Swamiji a citation.

 

In 1972 the Acharya Maharaj, His Holiness Tejendra Prasadji Maharaj, which on his visit to Kenya came to our temple for darshan. In 1993 the satsangis of this temple had an occasion of having received in this temple 2 Sant Mandals from Shree Gopi Nathjee Maharaj Temple Gadhda and Shree Narnarayan Dev Temple, Ahmedabad. In 1997 a Sant Mandal under the leadership of Param Pujya Swami Narayan Muni Das visited our temple. During this Sant Mandals visit, Param Pujya Narayan Muni Das founded Bal Yuvak Mandal in our temple. From that day to date, the Bal Yuvak Mandal has been making tremendous progress.

 

In 1979 the Sant Mandal of Shree Swaminarayan Gurukul Rajkot once again under the leadership of Late Shastri Swami Dharmajeevan Dasji came to our temple. In our temple at a time when the annual Patotsav programme was to be celebrated. The learned saints of Shree Swaminarayan Gurukul took the place on Vyas Pith and recited to the satsangis the Holy Scriptures of Swaminarayan Sampradaya. In 1981 the then Acharya Maharaj of the Laxminarayan Dev Temple Vadtal, Narendraprasadji Maharaj and the present Param Pujya Acharya Maharaj (the then Lalji Maharaj) Ajendra Prasadji Maharaj came to Kenya on the invitation of Shree Kutch Satsang Swaminarayan Temple, Mombasa. The Param Pujya Acharya Maharaj Shree and Param Pujya Lalji Maharaj Shree also came to our temple and gave the satsangis their blessings and recited Holy Scriptures. It was during this year when for the first time in the history of Shree Swaminarayan Temple, Kutch Bhuj, that its saints put their feet outside India.

 

The Sant Mandal of Bhuj Swaminarayan was the most powerful mandal. It was under the leadership of Param Pujya Mahant Purani Swami Shree Hariswarupdasji and with Pujya Mahant Swami was the most popular and senior Sant Late Murlimanohardasji, Late Shastri Swami Shree Rangdasji, Swami Prem Prakash Dasji and Swami Bhaktivalabhdasji. Upon realizing that this temple area was small, the saints from Bhuj insisted will and desire to renovate and extend the whole temple. The request by the Bhuj Temple's Mahant Swami was adopted by all and a fund raising was conducted immediately. Within no time sizeable fund required for the extension of the temple was donated by the satsangis. It was decided that the new temple for the guests to be constructed and moved up on the existing main original temple and the existing main original temple be converted to the temple for the ladies.

 

The members of the building committee worked tirelessly and with all time support of the Managing Committee of the temple led by the chairman Late Shri Devshibhai Dhanji Patel and Hon. Secretary Shri Devshibhai Kunverji Garara, the construction and the extension of the temple was completed and murti pratishta programme was fixed for 26th December, 1984. New Chitra Pratima murtis of Shree Sahajanand Swami (Lord Swaminarayan), Shree Narnarayan Dev and Shree Laxminarayan Dev which were prepared under the directions and supervision of the saints in Bhuj arrived along with a Sant Mandal of 12 Sants from Bhuj Swaminarayan Temple under the leadership of Mahant Purani Swami Hariswarupdasji. The new murtis were brought to the temple in a grand procession. The temple had also extended an invitation to His Holiness Acharya Maharaj of Ahmedabad dioces.

 

 

 

 

His Holiness Acharya Maharaj, Param Pujya Gadiwalla, Param Pujya Lalji Maharaj accompanied by saints from Ahmedabad and other places. Murti Pratishta was performed by the Acharya Maharaj Shree of Narnarayan Dev dioces His Holiness Tejendraprasadji Maharaj in the presence of most reveran 18 saints.

 

 

 

 

    

 

    

 

 

The chairman Shri Devshibhai Dhanji Patel was honoured with the presentation of a gold medal. Pujya Acharya Maharaj Shree also honoured all the members of the Managing Committee, Building committee and Souvenir committee by presenting to them showals which His Holiness had specially brought from India. Pujya Acharya Maharaj Shree and Pujya Lalji Maharaj Shree and the saints came to our temple. At the farewell ceremony, the chairman of our temple Late Shri Devshibhai Dhanji Patel honoured His Holiness by presenting a citation.

 

Ever since then, each year at least one Sant Mandal from Swaminarayan Temple Bhuj comes to our temple during the month of December and joins in the Annual Murti Pratishta Mahotsav from 20th December to 26th December.

 

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