Three Northern Territory MPs joined the Hindu community on 6 October for the Shilanyas Mahapuja Vidhi—the foundation stone laying ceremony for the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Darwin. The event, held in the divine presence of Pujya Narayanmunidas Swami and the Sant Mandal, marked the formal beginning of a project that promises to become a new spiritual and cultural landmark in the Top End.
Assistant Minister for Mining and Energy and Member for Casuarina, Khoda Patel MLA, said it was a privilege to take part in such an important day for the community. “It was an honour to attend the Shilanyas Mahapuja Vidhi (Foundation Stone Laying Ceremony) for the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Darwin. The ceremony, held in the divine presence of Pujya Narayanmunidas Swami and the Sant Mandal, marks a significant milestone in establishing a place of devotion, culture, and community service that will enrich our community and generations to come,” he said.
Multicultural Affairs Minister Jinson Anto Charls MLA described the occasion as heartfelt and memorable. “It was an honour to attend the Shilanyas Mahapuja for the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Darwin. The ceremony was a truly uplifting occasion, and I was grateful for the warm welcome and the opportunity to share in such a significant moment for the community,” he said.
Member for Port Darwin, Robyn Cahill MLA, also joined her colleagues at the event, emphasising its importance for the city’s diverse population. “It was an honour to join my colleagues Jinson Anto Charls MLA and Khoda Patel MLA—Member for Casuarina today to participate in the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Darwin Shilanyas Mahapuja Vidhi—Foundation Stone—Laying Ceremony. Today was the beginning of the journey to build the temple which will become the spiritual home for this community in Darwin,” she said.
The project, advanced by the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, aims to build a temple that will serve as both a place of worship and a hub for cultural and social activities. The global BAPS network includes over 1,300 mandirs and more than 5,000 community centres around the world, each fostering values of service, education, and unity.
For Darwin’s Hindu community, the Shilanyas marks a long-awaited step towards creating a permanent centre for faith, culture, and service. The presence of three Territory MPs highlighted the growing recognition of the contribution multicultural communities make to the social and cultural life of the Northern Territory.
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