Two days of vibrant and spiritually enriching celebrations marked the grand inauguration of the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Sunshine Coast, Queensland.
The festivities commenced on the afternoon of 26 January with a traditional nagar yatra (grand procession) in which devotees and local residents honored the sacred murtis to be enshrined in the new mandir. Among the dignitaries present were Councillor Joe Natoli (Division 4, Sunshine Coast) and esteemed officers from the Queensland Police Service (QPS), including Chief Inspector Jason Overland and PLO Vernon Corporal.
In the evening, youths and devotees sang melodious bhajans during a captivating kirtan aradhana.
On the morning of 27 January, the Vedic murti-pratishtha rituals were performed by BAPS swamis to consecrate the deities within the mandir.
Present on this historic occasion were Hon. Fiona Simpson (State Multicultural Minister), Mr. Andrew Wallace (Federal MP for Fisher), Ms. Kendall Morton (State MP for Caloundra), Mayor Rosanna Natoli (Sunshine Coast) and other dignitaries.