Kurukshetra is a city in the state of Haryana in North India and is also known as the ‘Land of the Bhagavad Gita’. Swarupanand Swami, a paramhansa of Bhagwan Swaminarayan was also from Kurukshetra.
Shri Gulzarilal Nanda, a loyal devotee of Brahmaswarup Shastriji Maharaj and twice caretaker Prime Minister of India, founded the Kurukshetra Vikas Samiti, now known as the Kurukshetra Development Board (KDB). During that time there was a temple of Katyayani Devi in the middle of the Brahma Sarovar, where Shri Gulzarilal Nanda placed the painted murtis of Shri Akshar-Purushottam Maharaj and guru Shastriji Maharaj and to this date pujan of these murtis is still performed there.
Over the years Brahmaswarup Pramukh Swami Maharaj, Mahant Swami Maharaj and other BAPS swamis have traveled regularly to many places in Haryana to conduct satsang assemblies and visit the homes of devotees and nurture satsang. With the growth of satsang activities the need for a mandir arose.
The foundation stone-laying ceremony for the new BAPS Mandir in Kurukshetra took place in the esteemed presence of Pujya Ishwarcharan Swami, Pujya Gyananad Swamiji of Gita Gyan Shodh Sansthan, Anandswarup Swami and Bhadresh Swami. The Vedic Shilanyas Ceremony began with the Shri Swaminarayan Mahapuja, after which the main foundation stones were laid into position in the main foundation area. Thereafter, after the rituals were completed, the many devotees from Kurukshetra and surrounding villages who had attended the shilanyas ceremony also laid bricks in the foundation. In the subsequent celebration assembly Pujya Ishwarcharan Swami and Anandswarup Swami addressed the devotees and well-wishers.
After the Shilanyas Ceremony for the new mandir, Pujya Ishwarcharan Swami and other sadhus consecrated the murtis of Shri Akshar-Purushottam Maharaj and the Guru Parampara in the assembly hall.
Previously, in Gandhinagar, Param Pujya Mahant Swami Maharaj had performed the pujan of the main shilas on 16 April 2019 that were placed in the foundation area.