July 01, 2006
Memphis, TN
A historic event took place in the state of Tennessee as two mandirs were inaugurated in two days in Memphis and Nashville.
On July 1st Pujya Kothari Swami and saints inaugurated the first ever mandir in Tennessee in Memphis. On the eve of this day, saints and youths of BAPS performed a soul rendering kirtan aradhana. Pujya Kothari Swami and 19 other saints performed the murti-pratishtha of Bhagwan Swaminarayan and Aksharbrahm Gunatitanand Swami, Shri Radha-Krishna Dev, the Guru Parampara, Shri Sita-Ram and Hanumanji, and Shri Shiv-Parvati and Ganeshji. Following the murti-pratishtha, a stunning annakut of diverse vegetarian items, prepared by the local volunteers was offered to the newly consecrated idols. In the assembly, devotees in attendance included not only those from the state of Tennessee, but also from Mississippi, Arkansas, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Missouri, Kentucky, Illinois, North Carolina, and South Carolina. In his address to the devotees, Pujya Kothari Swami stressed the importance of mandir in our life and society.