The domes of a Hindu Temple decorated for festivity, resplendent in sunlight. Where are we? Merches Garden, Grangetown, Cardiff's Sri Swaminarayan Temple. Which celebration? The silver jubilee of the Hindu community in South Wales having its own place of worship in this city. This building is the first to accommodate Hindu worshippers. It has undergone renovation, and adaptation, not only for worhsip, but a wide range of social activities. The exterior, and local environment is greatly enhanced with the addition of domes to the building during the two year development programme. This reaches its climax in the week of 17-24 September, with a visit from the world head of the Sri Swaminarayan religious community, his holiness Acharaya Shree Koshalendraprasadji Maharaj, and a public procession from City Hall to Merches Gardens on Saturday 23rd September.
Members of the community at work decorating the Templein preparation for the arrival of their honoured guest.
These celebrations are a sign of the social as well as spiritual health and vitality of a well established religious community in the capital city. All that has been achieved here is the work of hundreds of volunteers offering their time, talents and money for the welfare of a Cardiff community as diverse as India, yet as present at the heart of its local setting as any church or chapel.
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