Bhagwan Swaminarayan was one of the torch bearers for women’s empowerment and education at the onset of the 19th century. Women of the Swaminarayan faith were educated and hence were amongst the first teachers when education for girls was introduced by the Gaekwad of Baroda. BAPS Swaminarayan Vidyamandir is the latest contribution to society in the same tradition, by Pramukh Swami Maharaj.
BAPS Swaminarayan Vidyamandir, Randesan, is an all-girls fully-residential school, located near Gandhinagar, Gujarat. The school is housed on a lush green campus spread over 18 acres. It offers a Gujarat State board, English medium curriculum. This campus will eventually house more than 800 students from the 5th up to the 12th standard. Apart from spacious classrooms, the broad range of facilities includes a library, e-library, laboratories, computer lab, maths- science and design laboratories, science activity centers, separate rooms for arts and crafts, cooking, music, and many other facilities.
The campus was blessed by sadhus and graced by well-wishers for a Mahapuja, to pray for blessings for all students and staff, and as an auspicious precursor to declaring the school open for classes 5th through 8th in May 2016. Students from all around Gujarat have already enrolled at the school and look forward to its opening in May 2016.
Prasad Pravesh vidhi and Mahapuja for the campus were held on 11th March, 2016, in the presence of Pujya Keshavjivan Swami (Pujya Mahant Swami), Pujya Swayamprakash Swami (Pujya Doctor Swami), Pujya Bhaktipriya Swami (Pujya Kothari Swami), Pujya Tyagvallabh Swami and Pujya Ishwarcharan Swami. More than 200 sadhus and a thousand well-wishers also attended the ceremony. After pujan vidhi of Main gate and Administration building, everyone joined in mahapuja. It was followed by blessings delivered by Pujya Ishwarcharan Swami, Pujya Doctor Swami and Pujya Mahant Swami. Volunteers, service providers and others who contributed to the school’s construction were felicitated with a shawl and a memento.
All the senior sadhus then proceeded to perform pujan vidhi of each block and sanctify them. Each of the 14 blocks was sanctified by flower petals. All visitors were given a guided tour of the entire campus, understanding the vision, purpose and design of every part of campus. Visitors marveled at the efforts and thought put in by the architects and construction teams.
All visitors appreciated the vision of Pramukh Swami Maharaj for a school with such infrastructure and its plans for education of the minds and hearts of the students.