BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Cambridge — Attraction in Cambridge

The BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Cambridge, Ontario, Canada is a traditional Hindu place of worship that was built by the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha. The BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, which is headed by Mahant Swami Maharaj, is a global spiritual organization within the Swaminarayan branch of Hinduism. The temple is a type of ‘Hari’ mandir. Accordingly, Swaminarayan sadhus (Hindu monks) or Pujari Haribhakta offer devotional worship to the deities throughout the day. Before dawn, they awaken the deities by singing morning hymns (prabhatiya). The deities are then bathed and offered food and garments depending on the time of the day and season. Food that has been offered to the deities is considered sanctified. These holy offerings are distributed to the devotees as prasadam. Throughout the day, aarti, a ritual where devotees sing the glory of Swaminarayan while a lighted wick is circulated before the murtis, is performed five times a day and named mangala aarti, shanagar aarti, rajabhoga aarti, sandhya aarti and shayana aarti, respectively. During midday, lunch is offered. In the evening, dinner is offered. Finally, the sadhus put the murtis to rest by adorning them with...

The BAPS mandir has main idol of Shri Swaminarayan, is a place of extraordinary beauty and spiritual grace. During my first visit, I was struck by its magnificent architecture and serene atmosphere. Although bus transit options to the temple are limited, the experience of stepping inside transported me to a realm of peace and devotion that made every effort worthwhile. The temple’s peaceful atmosphere and the presence of idols combine to offer a deeply resonant spiritual experience for...

Very beautiful Mandir. We had the blessing to attend evening aarti on Dhan Teras. It was blissful. We felt absolutely overwhelmed. Not many visitors. But it felt lively and musical to attend aarti. Shayona had a lot of food items for sale, for Diwali. Mithai, namkeen, khakhra, chorafali, pickles. They even have a small home Mandir for sale. If you have time to visit during Diwali, please go. It will relieve your stress, give you calmness and peace. You will...