BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, London hosted a unique musical programme of devotional singing by young children on Saturday 15 November 2014. The event was part of the year-long celebrations commemorating the 150th anniversary of Brahmaswarup Shastriji Maharaj, the founder of BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha.
After almost two months of practice, 16 children aged between 8 and 12 years presented an awe-inspiring performance which included a creative medley of a number of bhajans dedicated to the life and work of Shastriji Maharaj.
The outstanding vocal exhibition was supported by an array of musicians playing the harmonium, violin, guitar, keyboards, tabla, and a range of other percussion instruments.
The programme was eloquently compered by two young boys who linked the elements seamlessly in fluent Gujarati. A montage of video clips and photographs were displayed simultaneously on the large screens, enthralling an audience of more than 1,000 people.
Devotees and invited guests who witnessed the ‘concert style’ performance were greatly impressed by the young pool of talent. They especially praised the children’s confidence, maturity, discipline and composure in front such of a large audience during the one-hour show.
Rohit Patel, one of the volunteer trainers, shared: “Programmes such as these demonstrate what can transpire when you combine hard work, commitment and talent with devotion. It’s a testimony to the way children are nurtured at the Mandir and how their talents are developed. We cannot thank Pramukh Swami Maharaj and the sadhus enough for all their encouragement, guidance and inspiration in fostering our next generation.”