Swaminarayan Temple
Shri Swaminarayan Mandir is the only Swaminarayan temple in Pakistan. It belongs to the Narayan Dev Gadi of the Swaminarayan Sampraday.
This temple was built about 200 years ago. The temple is notable for its size and frontage, over 32,306 square yards (27,012 m2) on the Bunder road in Karachi city.
Swaminarayan Jayanti, Ram Navami, Janmastami, Dussehra, Diwali and almost all of the main religious festivals are celebrated by Hindus in this temple.
The architecture of temple is very similar to those of Jain temples in Karonjhar range. The temple is built in the honor of Shri swaminarayan who was an incarnation of God and lived his life in Ahmedabad, Gujrat. Many temples have been dedicated to him in Gujrat but the temple here in Karachi is the only one in Pakistan. Every few years, priests from both sides visit each other.
The compound accommodates a Sikh Gurdwara as well. There is a sacred cowshed at the back and a gate which leads to a neighborhood with those fabulous balconies from yore. It is the biggest temple in Karachi and naturally a center of celebrations during dewali, holi and other festivals. There’s a significant Hindu population living around the temple.
