Internationally renowned yoga guru Sadhguru visited Neasden Temple before beginning a motorcycle ride to India to promote his Save Soil campaign.
Jagadish Vasudev, known as Sadhguru, is a proponent of Hindu spirituality and has been teaching yoga in southern India since 1982, establishing the Isha Foundation near Coimbatore in 1992.
He visited BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, London (Neasden Temple), on March 19.
A traditional welcome was given by Yogvivekdas Swami, head swami of the mandir, on behalf of Mahant Swami Maharaj, the spiritual leader of BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha.
Sadhguru met with members of the Hindu community and volunteers, and heard about the temple's outreach work, such as the relief efforts during the Covid-19 pandemic and its response to the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.
Sadhguru said: “When humans are committed to do something beyond their own life, they can achieve something which is beyond imagination. That is what I see here.”
An evening assembly was attended by Lord Rami Ranger CBE, Bob Blackman MP, Virendra Sharma MP, and other leaders of Hindu temples and associations.
Sadhguru discussed his global Save Soil campaign and his solo motorbike journey from London to the Kaveri in India – 30,000km across 25 nations in 100 days – to raise awareness.
Sharing his impressions of his visit, Sadhguru spoke of the “enormous amount of dedication, focus and devotion” taken to create this “exquisite” Mandir, and paid tribute to the legacy of His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj by reflecting on the many people who make use of the mandir.
He drew upon the lasting impact of the activities undertaken by BAPS across the UK and Europe, saying: “These are things that will live forever and inspire people for a long time to come.”
Nitin Palan, a lead volunteer at Neasden Temple, said, “It was an honour to welcome Sadhguruji and support his important global campaign.
"Here in communities across the UK, BAPS will be doing our bit, too. As a part of Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s centennial birth anniversary this year, we are contributing to the Queen’s Green Canopy project by encouraging households to plant a tree at their home.
"We wish Sadhguruji all the best in his mission of raising vital awareness about saving our soil.”
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