Swaminarayan Mandir, Bhuj

Infobox Mandir

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caption= Narnarayan Dev murti at this temple
creator = Bhagwan Swaminarayan
date_built = May 15, 1823
primary_deity = Narnarayan Dev and Harikrishna Maharaj.
location = Bhuj

Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Bhuj (Devnagari: श्री स्वमिनरयन मन्दिर, भुज) is a Hindu temple in Bhuj. This temple (mandir) that was constructed by Swaminarayan, founder of the Swaminarayan Sampraday. [cite web | url=http://www.swaminarayan-oldham.org/temples_page.htm | title=Swaminarayan Temples]

History of this temple

This mandir comes under the Narnarayan Dev Gadi. Senior devotees Gangarambhai, Sundarjibhai and others from the Bhuj region of Kutch went to Gadhada where Swaminarayan was attending a "Fuldol festival". In that festival, the devotees of Bhuj met Swaminarayan and requested him to construct a temple in Bhuj. [cite web | url=http://www.swaminarayan-oldham.org/Life_and_Faith_Book/Chapter4_Swaminarayan_Sampraday/Ch4__Life_and_Faith.htm#_Bhuj_–_Kutch | title=Life and Faith of Lord Swaminarayan: Bhuj - Kutch]

Swaminarayan asked "Vaishnavananand Swami" to proceed with a team of the saints to Bhuj and construct a temple. Vaishnavanand Swami and the accompanying saints went to Bhuj in 1822, camped at the place neighbouring the land of temple drew plans of the temple, complex, executed the plans with minute details and within a short span of one year, they built a temple abode of NarNarayan Dev. [cite web | url=http://www.swaminarayan-oldham.org/Life_and_Faith_Book/Chapter4_Swaminarayan_Sampraday/Ch4__Life_and_Faith.htm#_Bhuj_–_Kutch | title=Life and Faith of Lord Swaminarayan: Bhuj - Kutch]

Satsang in the Kutch region was spread by Late Guru Ramanand Swami. He constantly visited Bhuj and other places in Kutch.

Swaminarayan had graced this temple in the western belt of India and had himself installed the idols of Narnarayan dev and his own form - Harikrishna Maharaj in central sanctum sanctorum of the temple. Besides these manifestations of God at the central dome there under the eastern dome, are seated RadhaKrishna Dev, Harikrishna Maharaj and in the western dome Ghanshyam Maharaj. "Roop Chowki" - the main square of the inner temple-houses the images of Ganapati and Hanuman.

"Akshar Bhavan" in the temple treasures the personal items of Swaminarayan.

Gujarat Earthquake

The Earthquake on 26th of January, 2001 destroyed much of the city of Bhuj, including this temple associated with the founder of the Swaminarayan Sampraday. The saints and "satsangis" of Kutch residing in India and "satsangis" living abroad, have resolved to construct a new temple a short distance away from the site. [cite web | url=http://www.swaminarayan-oldham.org/temples_page.htm | title=Swaminarayan Temples]

See also

* Shri Swaminarayan Temples

References

* [http://www.swaminarayansatsang.com/temples/templesdetails.asp?Mandirid=83 Swaminarayan Mandirs Worldwide - Bhuj]

External links

* [http://shreeswaminarayanmandirbhuj.org/ Information about this temple is available on temple's official website]