Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Vadtal

Infobox Mandir


caption= The headquarters of the Shri Laxminarayan Dev Gaadi
creator = Bhagwan Swaminarayan
date_built = 3rd of November 1824
primary_deity = Laxminarayan Dev, Shri Ranchodraiji, Harikrishna Maharaj, Radhakrishna Dev, Shri Dharmadev, Bhaktimata and Vasudevji
location = Vadtal

Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Vadtal (Devnagari: श्री स्वमिनरयन मन्दिर, वद्ताल) headquarters of the Shri LaxmiNarayan Dev Gadi are located in this temple in Vadtal.

About the Mandir

The town of Vadtal is also known as Vadtal Swaminarayan. The temple here is in the shape of a lotus, with nine domes in the inner temple. The land for this shrine was donated by Joban Pagi, a dacoit converted into a devotee by Swaminarayan. The temple was constructed under the supervision of S.G. Brahmanand Swami.

Devotees from Vadtal had gone to Shreeji Maharaj on the day of Nirjala Ekadashi to meet him in Gadhada. On the next day - the twelfth day of the bright half of Jyestha - they requested to Swaminarayan to construct a Shri Krishna Mandir in Vadtal. Shreeji Maharaj commanded his disciple Brahmanand Swami to temporarily leave the construction of the Muli temple and proceed with a team of saints to plan and supervise the construction of a temple. The construction of this temple was completed within 15 months and the idols of Laxminarayan Dev were installed by Swaminarayan himself on the 3rd of November 1824, amidst chants of vedic hymns and devotional fervour of the installation ceremony. In the middle of the temple, he installed the idols of Laxminarayan dev and Ranchhodji. In the north, there are the idols of Dharmdev and Bhaktimata and his own form Harikrishna Maharaj. And in the south, Swaminarayan installed the idols of RadhaKrishna Dev and Harikrishna Maharaj.

Besides the Gods sitting in the central temple, in the south of the middle temple, were installed the form of Dakshinavart Shankh (Southern-sea conch) and Shaligrama (icon of Vishnu). In the inner dome, there are the stone-idols of the ten incarnations of god, besides the idols of Vishnu resting on the seat of Sheshnaag (heavenly snake).

Further information

The temple is the highest seat of the Acharya and preceptor of the dakshin desh (Laxminarayan Dev Gadi). On the south end of the main temple, there is a place called the "Akshar Bhavan". Its first floor has standing idols of Ghanshyam Maharaj. On the second floor, there is the idol of Ghanshyam Maharaj in sitting posture. Personal objects of Swaminarayan are kept here. On the west there is a place called the "Hari Mandap" where Swaminarayan wrote the Shikshapatri.

Town of Vadtal

In the east of the town, there is a mango garden where Swaminarayan ignited Holi and played with colours. A canopy has been constructed at this place. On the south side of this place, Swaminarayan had swung on a swing of twelve doors. A marble seat has been constructed at that place. The Gomati lake which was dug by Swaminarayan is in the north of the town. In the middle of the lake is a shelter and a canopy is built on the west of it. Swaminarayan used to sit there at the place of the present canopy when the lake was being excavated. Swaminarayan had preached Vachanamrit under a mango tree next to the lake.

See also

* Shri Swaminarayan Temples

References

* [http://www.swaminarayansatsang.com/temples/templesdetails.asp?Mandirid=127 Shri Swaminarayan Mandirs - Vadtal]