June 18, 2006
Atlanta, GA
Early Sunday morning, yet another milestone towards the completion of the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Atlanta was celebrated by saints and devotees with the consecration of the first carved pillar.
On June 18, 2006, first marble pillar was installed in the temple which is constructed to stand for nearly 1,000 years. The ceremony, called the Stambh Sthapan Vidhi, was blessed and conducted in accordance with the traditional Hindu rituals by Pujya Bhaktipriya Swami. While blessing the congregation, he expressed his joy for the unity and sacrifice shown by the volunteers, saints and devotees. He continued by saying, that those who come and pray to these pillars will achieve peace of mind and purity of heart.
Among distinguished guests present, Pujya Bhaktipriya Swami garlanded chief guest Dr. Naveen Nanda, an admired cardiologist with almost 700 publications to his name. Dr. Nanda expressed how humbled he felt by being in the presence of such honorable saints and devotees. He cited the event as being important steps towards the preservation of Indian culture in the West and the upliftment of society.