Set in Neasden, London, United Kingdom, BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, London is a shrine to Swaminarayan (also enshrines Radha-Krishna, Rama-Sita, and Shiva-Parvati). It is also known as Neasden Temple.
For many years after opening, it was widely cited as the largest Hindu temple outside India, a distinction later surpassed by other BAPS temples, including BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham in Robbinsville, New Jersey, which opened in 2023. The Neasden temple remains a major center of Hindu worship and cultural life in the UK and a well-known London landmark. BAPS had a presence in London from the early 1950s, moving through a converted church in Islington (1970) and a warehouse in Neasden (1982) before building the current Mandir on Brentfield Road.
United Kingdom carries a distinct temple identity of its own: Home to Europe's first traditional stone Hindu temple, a landmark of London's diaspora community since 1995.
Darshan hours and daily worship
| Session | Timing (as published) |
|---|---|
| Morning | 9:00 AM - 12:15 PM (public darshan/exhibition hours; separate morning worship ceremonies begin earlier) |
| Evening | 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM (weekdays), 3:30 PM - 6:00 PM (weekends and Bank Holidays) |
The Mandir and Haveli complex is generally open to the public 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM daily, including Bank Holidays, though timings and access are subject to change without notice due to special services. Internal worship ceremonies (Mangala, Shangar, Rajbhog, Sandhya, Shayan aartis) occur on a separate daily schedule not all of which are open to public viewing.
Poojas and daily rituals
Daily aarti ceremonies include Mangala (6:00 AM), Shangar (7:30 AM), Rajbhog (11:45 AM, the main public aarti), Sandhya (7:00 PM) and Shayan (8:00 PM).
Festivals and special-day timings
Regular darshan hours are usually extended, or set aside entirely, on these dates.
| Festival | Period | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Diwali and Annakut (Hindu New Year) | October/November | The temple hosts one of the largest Diwali and Hindu New Year celebrations in the UK, including devotional ceremonies and a grand Annakut food offering the day after Diwali. |
| Janmashtami | August/September | Annual celebration of the birth of Lord Krishna, observed with special ceremonies at the mandir. |
History and architecture
Architecture
Traditional North Indian Hindu temple architecture following Vastu Shastra and Shilpa Shastra texts, built without structural steel. Features 7 shikhars (pinnacles) and domes, 193 pillars, made from Bulgarian limestone (exterior, about 990 cubic meters) and Indian and Italian Carrara marble (interior, about 700 cubic meters), carved in India by workshops of artisans before being shipped and assembled in London. Designed by architect C.B. Sompura.
History
BAPS had a presence in London from the early 1950s, moving through a converted church in Islington (1970) and a warehouse in Neasden (1982) before building the current Mandir on Brentfield Road. Envisioned by Pramukh Swami Maharaj, planning permission was obtained in August 1992 and construction began that November, with the temple completed and inaugurated in August 1995. It was the first traditional Hindu stone temple built in Europe.
Planning your visit
How to reach
Nearest London Underground/Overground stations include Neasden, Wembley Park, Stonebridge Park, and Harlesden. On-site parking for around 550 cars is available.
Where this information comes from
Confidence: High. History, architecture, deities, timings, entry fee and dress code are drawn directly from the temple's official website and Wikipedia. The 'largest outside India' claim is deliberately qualified since it was superseded by the New Jersey Akshardham temple in 2023.