On Sunday, November 1, 2015 a new BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir was inaugurated in Allentown, Pennsylvania, in the presence of Pujya Yagnavallabh Swami and other swamis. Since 1996, swamis have regularly visited the area, helping devotees develop their practice of spirituality. Over time the need for a mandir where families could gather to strengthen their faith and devotion became a community effort.
His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj performed the murti pratishtha rituals of the sacred images in Sarangpur, India, on January, 14, 2014. These murtis were consecrated in their respective shrines by swamis amid a Vedic mahapuja ceremony. Devotees and well-wishers offered prayers for world peace and harmony throughout the local community.
The dedication ceremony, held after the murti sthapan vidhi, applauded the devotion of hundreds of devotees who have committed their time and effort to completing the mandir. Moreover, BAPS volunteers from across the Northeast region lent their support along the way and they were commended for their contributions and spirit of togetherness. Pujya Chaitanyamurti Swami noted in his speech, "If there is a single most important contribution this mandir will make to society, it is that it will teach responsibility – responsibility to family, to community, to humanity. It will teach people to live within the framework of Dharma."
Youths from Lansdale and Allentown joined together to perform a cultural dance, and youths spoke about their experience of mandir and satsang. Malav Barot, a high school student, said in his speech, "This Mandir is much more than just a religious place for elders, it is a place where anyone can come in and become a better person in one way or another. It is a place that brings you closer to your faith, to your culture and to your family."
Pujya Yagnavallabh Swami concluded by highlighting the value that the mandir would introduce to the community, saying, "The new mandir will serve as a hub of spiritual, societal, and charitable services in the Lehigh Valley."