On Monday 18th April 2005, countless devotees visited BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Neasden to celebrate the auspicious festival of Shri Swaminarayan Jayanti and Ramnavmi. To mark the festive occasion, annakuts were offered to the sacred images of Ghanshyam Maharaj and Ram Sita.
The festival started at 12 noon, with the sadhus performing the birth arti of Shri Ram. All visitors had the opportunity to rock the birth cradle of Shri Ram.
The birth celebration of Shri Ram was celebrated in an assembly held between 6:00pm and 7:15pm, during which youths and sadhus recited episodes from the life of Shri Ram from 'Ramcharit Manas' compiled by Tulsidas.
Thereafter at 8:00pm, a special assembly was held in which the divine life of Bhagwan Swaminarayan was presented through bhajans and speeches. These grand celebrations climaxed in the celebrations of the birth of Bhagwan Swaminarayan at 10:10pm.
During the course of the day, devotees were given the opportunity of offering abhishek to the sacred image of Nilkanth Varni Maharaj (Bhagwan Swaminarayan). Special prasad of 'panchajiri' was given to all the devotees who visited the Mandir.