The opening of the new BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Winnipeg, Manitoba, was celebrated on September 19, 2021, in the presence of Sadguru Pujya Ishwarcharandas Swami and revered swamis from India, USA and Canada.
Satsang activities began in Winnipeg in the early 1990s with only one family. Swamis from the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Toronto started to make regular visits to Winnipeg from 2004. With their guidance, weekly Satsang activities began to take place at a local Hindu mandir from 2012. In 2020, His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj inspired the establishment of this mandir to meet the community's needs and the increasing number of devotees. Volunteers worked together tirelessly to complete the renovations of the property and prepare it for the inauguration.
The auspicious occasion of Murti Pratishtha began with a mahapuja where devotees and well-wishers offered their prayers for peace, harmony and well-being to prevail throughout the local community. Earlier this year, Mahant Swami Maharaj had sanctified the murtis that would grace the new mandir. The sanctified murtis were ceremonially consecrated in their respective shrines amid Vedic chanting and rituals. His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj also sent blessings from India on this auspicious occasion.
The new BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Winnipeg will facilitate activities and events for young and old alike to preserve Hindu traditions, heritage and spiritual values. The mandir will welcome all individuals to experience spirituality and understand Hinduism's universal values and traditions. The mandir will also be a hub for the humanitarian activities of the organization.