Wellingborough temple marks Hindu New Year

As Diwali comes to a close, the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Wellingborough has ushered in a new year with attendees coming from all over the county.

The celebrations, that took place Wednesday, October 26, are an essential pillar of the Hindu calendar, and festivities stretched into the evening with food offerings and worship taking place at the Mill Road venue.

The festivities were particularly uplifting this year as the day was also a celebration of Pramukh Swami Maharaj, the guru of the BAPS sect of Hinduism, in a year which he would have been 100. Alongside the Annakut that took place were stories of Swami, including his travels to the Wellingborough temple and his meeting with then-president Bill Clinton. The temple was draped in photos and murals of the former guru, with his selfless teachings being relayed to those who attended.

Events like this are important to local residents as Milan Patel says they allow people to ‘get to know the wider community, and see each other every week’.

Hinduism is a faith widely adhered to all over the globe, and Wellingborough’s branch of Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) ensures that Northamptonshire residents can practise their faith in a way that upholds the traditions of Hinduism.

People were filing in throughout the day and celebrations were had by all with plenty wearing vibrant colours to maintain a sense of happiness that the year begins anew.

Non-perishable donations to food banks are customary with the temple offering assistance to charities in Wellingborough, Kettering, and Rushden among other places.

The new year celebrations take place just two days after Diwali, which also saw an influx of people to the temple to witness the annual festival of lights. In the lead-up to the day, the Mill Road temple opened its doors to local schools and scout groups and hosted an interactive experience to help people better understand the faith, and how Diwali impacts those who practice it.

They also took place in the week that Rishi Sunak became the UK’s first Hindu Prime Minister.