Brahmaswaroop Shri Yogiji Maharaj graced the United Kingdom (UK) in 1970. Through his divine presence, ashirwad and sankalp, the first mandir of Akshar Purushottam Maharaj was established in Islington, London, gifting haribhakto with the Yugal Upasana of Akshar (Gunatitanand Swami) and Purushottam (Shri Sahajanand Swami).

In 1973, Param Pujya Kakaji came to UK to carry on this work, and with him, came Guruvarya Param Pujya Saheb. From 1975 onwards, Guruvarya Param Pujya Saheb came with Vratdhari Sadhaks year after year to spiritually nurture the youth. In 1978, Guruvarya Param Pujya Saheb accepted the youths that wanted to become Vratdhari Sadhak and initiated them. In that year Anoopam Mission was registered as a religious charity, and a home in Wembley was bought, which served as Anoopam Mission’s first temple in the UK.

In 1980, Param Pujya Pappaji, Param Pujya Sonaba and Guruvarya Param Pujya Saheb came to the UK. In the November of 1981, a property located in 14 acres of land was bought in Denham. Pujya Shantibhai and Pujya Ashvinbhai then came to the UK in 1982. They stayed for seven months, carried out hard physical seva to renovate the large building and landscape the grounds and in doing so inspired all Vratdhari Sadhaks and Haribhakto to do the same. In the presence of Santo like Param Pujya Shantibhai and Param Pujya Ashvinbhai, satsang activities grown greatly and many youths joined. Through their seva, they progressed spiritually and became firm in their faith of Guruvarya Param Pujya Saheb’s divinity.

In 1989, for the first time in the history of Anoopam Mission, marble murtis of Dham-Dhami and Mukt were installed in the UK at the divine hands of Param Pujya Pappaji, Param Pujya Hariprasad Swamiji and Guruvarya Param Pujya Sahebji. The date was 23 March 1989 and it was also the special occasion of Guruvarya Param Pujya Saheb’s 50th Pragatyadin!

Once God had taken His seat here…He began His work. Through the seva and bhakti of haribhakto, they were themselves cleansed. Their attitudes changed…they began to accept that God is the Doer in all things. Guruvarya Param Pujya Saheb nurtured them and continuously came to give them His association and sent Pujya Shantibhai, Pujya Ashvinbhai and Santo year after year. Guruvarya Param Pujya Saheb also gifted the UK Satsang Samaj with a sadhu like Pujya Himat Swami. Through such association, dharma, gnan, vairagya and bhakti became established in the lives of haribhakto. And as haribhakto travelled to India, they took full benefit of satsang by attending samaiyas and made their faith firm.

God’s work through His bhakto became evident through their devotion and surrender. Guruvarya Param Pujya Saheb’s sankalp of a shikharbaddh mandir in Allentown showed the oneness of haribhakto all over the world. The UK haribhakto, gave their wholehearted seva and supported the project financially, physically, materially and through bhajan! Guruvarya Param Pujya Saheb had not only installed the murtis in the mandir, but in the hearts of these haribhakto.

Today, we see an Anoopam spiritual family that lives according to the principles of Gunatit Gnan, and which Guruvarya Param Pujya Saheb has moulded with divine love. In everyone’s hearts there is an eagerness to do bhakti, and to learn of the bhakti that their own Guru and Gunatit Swaroop have done in their lives. The Guru Bhakti Darshan Mahotsav will embody this vision and celebrate the transformations in our lives, as we look back at 20 years of the murtis of Shri Swaminarayan Bhagwan, Shri Gunatitanand Swami and Shri Gopalanand Swami as well as 70 years of our Guruvarya Param Pujya Saheb.