Home > News > UK & Europe > Celebrating 50 Years of Satsang in Europe > 50 Years of the Satpurush in Europe: A Photo Story

Celebrating 50 Years of Satsang in Europe, UK & Europe

24 Jan 2021 to 31 Jan 2021

On Tuesday 7 July 1970, Yogiji Maharaj departed from London for Mumbai via Paris, Zürich and Beirut. During the stopover in Paris, Swamishri requested Pramukh Swami and Mahant Swami to sanctify the land of Europe on his behalf

After that historic moment in 1970, Swayamprakashdas Swami (Doctor Swami) and swamis conducted the first vicharan in Europe in 1982

Facilities were scarce, therefore the group travelled around France in a small motorhome

The group sat in a park with the famous Eiffel Tower a mere stone’s throw away and conducted the first sabha in mainland Europe

Pramukh Swami Maharaj travelled to Europe in 1984, his maiden vicharan in mainland Europe as Guru. He is seen here standing with Shri Harikrishna Maharaj outside St Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City

Pramukh Swami Maharaj met Pope John Paul II, head of the Roman Catholic Church, at St Peter’s Basilica, where both exchanged respects and discussed interfaith dialogue and harmony

Pramukh Swami Maharaj visited many famous locations in Rome with Shri Harikrishna Maharaj, including the Colosseum

On 10 April 1984, Pramukh Swami Maharaj visited Hanbhai Kop’s home in the Netherlands, who gifted a thick red shawl to Swamishri as a memento of the occasion

Pramukh Swami Maharaj also visited Portugal in 1984

In 1986, Keshavjivandas Swami (Mahant Swami) and swamis embarked upon a research trip around the world for the upcoming Swaminarayan Akshardham in Gandhinagar

The group travelled across Europe by motorhome. Mahant Swami’s discipline towards his daily routine shone through, sitting outside the campervan on a camping site reading the Vachanamrut

The research tour in 1986 took Mahant Swami to various locations across mainland Europe

This vicharan proved helpful to Mahant Swami and the research team

In 1988, Pramukh Swami Maharaj embarked upon his second vicharan in mainland Europe. On 4 May, Swamishri flew over Paris in a helicopter, lifting Shri Harikrishna Maharaj and showering flower petals to bless the land below

Pramukh Swami Maharaj also took Shri Harikrishna Maharaj to the world-famous Eiffel Tower

Upon reaching the summit of the Eiffel Tower, Pramukh Swami Maharaj once again showered flower petals and blessed Paris by looking over the entire land through a telescope

Satsang in Paris was in its infancy in 1988. There were only a handful of devotees. Pramukh Swami Maharaj blessed the caravan home of a devotee

On 6 May 1988, Pramukh Swami Maharaj visited the Sanctuary of Fatima in Fatima, Portugal

The Chaplain of the Sanctuary, John Vilanova, brought the visitors book to Pramukh Swami Maharaj and requested he write something. Swamishri sat down on the stone steps and began to write his blessings as the Chaplain sat beside him

Pramukh Swami Maharaj then presided in a nearby park where a group of local children, out of excitement, surrounded Swamishri. He gifted them sanctified sweets as they departed

Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s vicharan of Europe also took him to Barcelona, Spain; in the spirit of Columbus’ Monument, Swamishri pointed in the direction of Akshardham

On 11 May 1988, Pramukh Swami Maharaj arrived in Switzerland; the harsh climate of Mount Säntis led to Swamishri being draped with a thick blanket

While on Mount Säntis. Pramukh Swami Maharaj gave everyone memories of a lifetime; in a divine, jovial mood, Swamishri threw snowballs at the swamis and devotees present

Upon leaving Mount Säntis, Pramukh Swami Maharaj sat down on a simple bench and prayed for the people of Switzerland and for the drought relief efforts taking place in India at the time

With a large group of swamis and devotees, Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s vicharan would often include travelling by coach

In May 1988, Pramukh Swami Maharaj visited Vienna, Austria, where the devotees had lovingly organised a horse carriage procession for Shri Harikrishna Maharaj and Swamishri through the city centre

On 13 May 1988, Pramukh Swami Maharaj visited Dusseldorf, Germany; after completing his walk in a large park, Swamishri sat on a shallow hill overlooking a lake with the swamis and devotees and began singing bhajans

On 19 May 1988, Pramukh Swami Maharaj arrived in Sweden, where the local devotees joyously greeted him at the airport with flower garlands and a musical welcome

While the construction of the first traditional Hindu temple outside of India was well underway in London, in 1994, Pramukh Swami Maharaj visited the Czech Republic upon the request of the renowned multimedia artist, Professor Jaroslav Frič

Professor Frič personally gave Pramukh Swami Maharaj a tour of Prague, asking him to bless the city and its key locations

During his visit to the churches, Pramukh Swami Maharaj also met with Bishop Skrdla, with whom he had a brief interfaith dialogue

Professor Frič brought Pramukh Swami Maharaj to one of the most revered sites in Prague, the Jan Hus Memorial, where he exclaimed that it was his duty to spread Swamishri’s glory in the Czech Republic

It was Professor Frič’s innermost wish that Pramukh Swami Maharaj travel along the Vltava River in Prague, so that Swamishri could further bless the city and all those gathered

Upon his departure from the Czech Republic, Professor Frič personally came to bid Pramukh Swami Maharaj farewell. As Swamishri’s flight took off, it began to rain. Professor Frič became emotional and exclaimed that the entire country was in tears because Swamishri had departed

In 1997, Pramukh Maharaj visited Paris to inaugurate the first BAPS mandir in mainland Europe. The traditional ‘nagar yatra’ of the murtis took place in the unconventional method of a boat ride at night

The following day, Pramukh Swami Maharaj conducted the Vedic inauguration ceremony

As the inauguration ceremony concluded, Pramukh Swami Maharaj sat down on the floor to sing the thal to the murtis

With satsang having developed in mainland Europe, Pramukh Swami Maharaj set off on what was to be his last traditional vicharan in mainland Europe by visiting France and Portugal in June 2000

During this vicharan, Pramukh Swami Maharaj inaugurated the first hari mandir in Lisbon, Portugal, in a small repurposed house

In September 2014, Mahant Swami and Bhaktipriyadas Swami (Kothari Swami) visited Lisbon for the inauguration of the new hari mandir, where they also presided over the nagar yatra in a horse carriage

On 28 September 2014, Mahant Swami and Kothari Swami performed the inauguration ceremony in the traditional Vedic manner

Mahant Swami and Kothari Swami also visited the Sanctuary of Fatima, where they reminisced on Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s visit there in 1988

Walking in their guru’s footsteps, Mahant Swami and Kothari Swami sat under the same tree Pramukh Swami Maharaj did in 1988 in Fatima

During this time, Bhadreshdas Swami had embarked upon a tour of Europe to discuss the newly written Swaminarayan Bhashyam with scholars across the continent. As the tour began in Lisbon, Mahant Swami blessed Bhadreshdas Swami in the motorhome in which he would travel

In 2014, despite his frail health and advanced age of 93, Pramukh Swami Maharaj travelled to Robbinsville, USA, to bless and perform pujan of the upcoming Swaminarayan Akshardham site. On his return to India, Swamishri’s flight stopped over in Paris, France

Pramukh Swami Maharaj was in a jovial mood having landed in Paris. Although he did not disembark from the aircraft, he blessed the land through his divine presence and gaze

In October 2017, Mahant Swami Maharaj set off on his maiden vicharan of mainland Europe as Guru. One morning in France, Swamishri unexpectedly stepped out onto the balcony of the chateau to bless the gathered devotees

On 16 October 2017, the Mayor of Bussy-Saint-Georges, Yann Dubosc, met with Mahant Swami Maharaj. In the evening sabha, the Mayor expressed his wish to bestow upon Swamishri the 'Medal of Honour' and invited him to visit the Parisian suburb of Bussy-Saint-Georges

As the days of Diwali were approaching, on 17 October 2017, Mahant Swami Maharaj celebrated Diwali and Annakut in Paris. Sitting down on the floor, Swamishri devoutly sang the thal. The following day, Swamishri returned to the UK, marking the end of his vicharan in mainland Europe