On 18 August 1995, a grand, joyous and vibrant nagar yatra was held to honour the murtis to be consecrated in the newly built shikharbaddha BAPS Mandir in Neasden, London. It was the auspicious day of Janmashtami – Shravan vad 8 – the birthday of Bhagwan Krishna.

The procession began from Hyde Park and concluded at Trafalgar Square. Over 12,000 devotees, young and old, men and women, from throughout the UK, France, Portugal, USA, Canada, India, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and other countries enthusiastically joined in the nagar yatra, dancing, singing and proudly rejoicing on this historic auspicious occasion. Even the discomfort of being in the open, under the blazing 30°C sun did not bother anyone.

The exuberant devotees set off from Hyde Park Corner at 1.00 p.m., with the nagar yatra comprising seven floats carrying the murtis to be consecrated; three marching bands – from Leicester, Dallas and Nairobi – playing traditional devotional tunes; children, teenagers and youths in traditional costumes performing traditional dances; women devotees carrying coconut-topped kalashes as per ancient tradition; and many other celebratory items. Thousands of passers-by lined the streets to witness this glorious nagar yatra.
Then, about 20 minutes after the start, the procession approached Piccadilly Circus.  To everyone’s utmost surprise, they had the darshan of Pramukh Swami Maharaj seated on a platform in the middle of Piccadilly Circus, a scene that nobody had expected.

This unique darshan of Swamishri enhanced the beaming smiles and joyful expressions of all the devotees as they walked past Swamishri, bowing in reverence, and continued the procession. It was the highlight of the afternoon, a memory that everyone still treasures. Two days later, on 20 August 1995, Pramukh Swami Maharaj performed the Vedic murti-pratishtha of the shikharbaddha mandir in London, the first traditional stone mandir in Europe.

However, only later did everyone learn that amid the makeshift arrangements made by the volunteers for Swamishri to sit at Piccadilly Circus, nobody had thought to place a murti of Bhagwan Swaminarayan.

But Swamishri was prepared, since for him Maharaj and Swami were at the forefront of everything, especially on such momentous occasions as this. So, when he arrived, Swamishri insisted that a separate asan be prepared and the murti of Shri Akshar-Purushottam Maharaj  he had brought with him be placed next to him.

This demonstrates that for Swamishri, Maharaj and Swami are his focus. Even amid such an honour – the first time such an arrangement had been allowed at Piccadilly Circus – Swamishri offered his devotion to Bhagwan Swaminarayan.

The murti he brought that day is seen in the photograph of Swamishri seated at Piccadilly Circus. This murti is presently preserved in the archives at BAPS Mandir, Sarangpur. It is a sacred relic that reminds us all to always follow Swamishri’s lead in keeping Maharaj and Swami at the forefront of our lives in every situation.