Welcome to the official website of the R. B. Sheth Curumsey Damjee Swaminarayan Temple Charity Trust

Welcome to the official website of the Rao Bahadur Sheth Curumsey Damjee Swaminarayan Temple Charity Trust.

Bhagwan Swaminarayan (April 3, 1781 - 1830) was born as Ghanshyam Pande to a brahmin family in the village of Chhapaiya, U.P., India. His father's name was Hariprasad Pande (also known as Dharmadev) and his mother's name was Premvati (also known as Bhaktimata).

After serving his parents, he left home at the age of 11 to travel over 8,000 miles throughout India on a holy pilgrimage for over 7 years.

On completion of the 7 years’ sojourn of India, the Lord met up with Ramanand Swami, and established the purest and unadulterated form of religion, based on ultimate devotion to God only, with total observance of non-violent dharma. Shreeji Maharaj re-introduced the non-violent yagnas, on a grand scale. He instructed numerous acts of social welfare; alms-houses, digging of village wells / lakes, explained in detail why it is important to worship Satvic deities. Shreeji Maharaj discredited the act of enforced Sati & female infanticide.

At age 21, he was given the headship of the religious sect known as Uddhav Sampraday (later known as Swaminarayan Sampraday), with the blessings of his Guru Sadguru Ramanand Swami. He later became known as Bhagwan Swaminarayan. Although the name that was given by his Guru Swami Ramanand at the time of initiation into the monk order was Swami Sahajanand, he become commonly known as Bhagwan Swaminarayan, or Shreeji Maharaj or Shri Hari.

At the age of 49 years, his work having been accomplished, Shreeji Maharaj left for Akshardham, promising to remain within the Swaminarayan Sampraday in:

1. the images He installed (and the Acharyas succeeding Him as per the Desh Vibhagno Lekh)
2. the Acharyas installed by Him (and those in direct succession)
3. the saints He initiated (and those initiated by succeeding Acharyas)
4. the scriptures, such as Shikshapatri, Satsangi Jeevan, Satsangi Bhushan, etc. (and those authorized by succeeding Acharyas)

After the passing of Ramanand Swami, Bhagwan Swaminarayan held a large gathering of the followers at the town of Faneni. It was during this sabha, whilst explaining that God is one, He is Narayan, He is our Swami, Bhagwan Swaminarayan introduced ‘the father of all Mantras’, Swaminarayan. It should be noted that there was no Swami who he had appointed his successor or as an ideal devotee, at that time. The name refers wholly & solely to one entity, Bhagwan Swaminarayan. Thereafter the name Swaminarayan Sampraday (formerly known as Uddhav Sampraday) came into existence.

He established temples at Ahmedabad, Bhuj, Vadtal, Junagadh, Dholera and Gadhada – installing images of various manifestations of god, such as Narnarayan Dev, Laxminarayan Dev, Hari Krishna Maharaj, Radha Raman Dev etc.

Before leaving for Akshardham Lord Swaminarayan established two gaadi's (seats) — one in Ahmedabad (Shri Narnarayan Dev) and one in Vadtal (Shri Laxminarayan Dev) — on Tuesday, November 21, 1825 AD (Kartik Sud 11 Samvat 1882, Ekadashi). Bhagwan Swaminarayan then appointed an Acharya to each of these two gaadis to pass on his message to others and to head the Swaminarayan Sampraday. These Acharyas came from his immediate family; he formally adopted a son from each of his two brothers and appointed them to the office of Acharya. Ayodhyaprasad, son of his elder brother Rampratap, was appointed Acharya of Ahmedabad Gaadi, and Raghuvira, son of his younger brother Ichcharam, was appointed Acharya of Vadtal Gaadi.

The administrative division is set forth in minute detail in a document written by Sahajanand Swami, called Desh Vibhaagno Lekh.

Bhagwan Swaminarayan has stated that those who know me to be their choicest deity and wish to achieve moksha (Salvation) shall follow only the Swaminarayan Sampraday under the leadership of the Dharmavanshi Acharyas.

Today the Sampraday has Mandirs spread across 4 continents and over 3.5 million followers worldwide.

This Mandir (Temple) comes under the Vadtal gaadi. It is situated at Trijo Bhoiwado, Bhuleshwar, South Mumbai.

On Vaishakh Shukla Ekadashi, Vikram Samvat 1924, Param Pujya Param Bhakt, Shri Ranchhoddas Pranjeevandas built the first ever Shri Swaminarayan temple in Mumbai by breaking and rebuilding his own residence. The deities of Shri Hari Krishna Maharaj, Shri Gaulokvihari and Shri Radhikaji were instated by Acharya Maharajshri Bhagwatprasadji Maharaj. The Temple Trust instated by Shri Ranchhoddasji still contributes a monthly dakshina of Rs. 150/- to the Temple.

The present Tri spire temple structure was built and the deities of Shri Ghanshyam Maharaj and Shri Lakshminarayan Dev instated on Vaishakh Shukla Dwadashi, Vikram Samvat 1959 by Param Pujya Acharya Maharajshri Lakshmiprasadji Maharaj.

Shri Hari’s absolute devotee, Rao Bahadur Shri Curumsey Damjee (Also our Founder) contributed towards this temple’s reinstatement with all material, physical and intellectual resources. His close associate and friend Shri Mathurdas Vaishnav too donated Rs. 25,000/- towards this sacred work.

Shri Gaulokvihari Maharaj Murti, Mumbai Mandir & Shri Laxminarayan Dev Murti, Mumbai Mandir

Our trust was set up by R. B. Sheth Curumsey Damjee for the purpose of funding various activities of Swaminarayan Mandir's and to help them in all possible ways.

Our trust was founded by Akshardaham Nivasi Rao Bahadur Seth Curumsey Damjee.

This corpus of this trust is to be used to sponsor the education of poor and deserving boys and girls from the Kutchi Lohana Community in Mumbai and Kutch.

In case you would like to help us in our endeavors in any way possible please contact our Mumbai Office.

The Rao Bahadur Sheth Curumsey Damjee Swaminarayan Temple Charity Trust is a Public Charitable Trust (Non Profit) registered with the Charity commissioner of Mumbai (Regd no. A-983 (BOM)).

Send mail to admin@swaminarayan.org.in with questions or comments about this web site. +Conditions apply. Subject to Mumbai (India) jurisdiction.

Send mail to admin@swaminarayan.org.in with questions or comments about this web site.
+Conditions apply. Subject to Mumbai (India) jurisdiction.