Mahant Swami Maharaj to perform Pran Pratistha of 108-foot statue of Bhagwan Swaminarayan in Neelkanth Varni form
New Delhi: Mahant Swami Maharaj, the spiritual head of the global BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, is set to perform the Pran Pratistha of a 108-foot-tall statue of Tapomurti Shri Neelkanth Varni (Bhagwan Swaminarayan) at the Swaminarayan Akshardham today, marking a significant spiritual event with grand preparations underway.
#WATCH | Delhi: A 108-ft tall statue of Neelkanth Varni, depicting young Swaminarayan, to be consecrated at Swaminarayan Akshardham Temple today.
— ANI (@ANI) March 26, 2026
(Video Source: BAPS) pic.twitter.com/DdBwU2VloP
The monumental statue, crafted from panchdhatu, a sacred blend of five metals primarily composed of bronze, stands out for its unique depiction of Neelkanth Varni balancing on a single foot, symbolising intense penance and spiritual discipline. Officials noted that this is the first statue in the world to portray this form in such a posture.
Ahead of the Pran Pratistha, a series of religious rituals was carried out across multiple locations. On March 22, ceremonies were held at the newly built BAPS Swaminarayan temples in Panchkula and Kurukshetra. The following day, March 23, the statue designated for installation at the upcoming Paris temple, set to be consecrated in September, was also ritually worshipped as part of the spiritual preparations.
The 108-foot statue at Akshardham was completed over the course of nearly a year and has been primarily crafted in bronze as part of the sacred panchdhatu composition. Its creation was the result of collective efforts by artisan sadhus of Akshardham, around 50 skilled craftsmen, and several volunteers who played a key role in bringing the vision to life.
Bhagwan Swaminarayan, worshipped in his youthful ascetic form as Neelkanth Varni, began his spiritual journey at the age of 11 after renouncing worldly life.
Over a span of seven years, he journeyed across India, covering more than 12,000 kilometres in a mission dedicated to the welfare of humanity.
During this remarkable pilgrimage, he visited several revered spiritual destinations, including the Himalayas, Badrinath, Kedarnath, Kailash-Manasarovar, Muktinath in Nepal, Kamakhya in Assam, Jagannath Puri in Odisha, Rameshwaram, Nashik, Pandharpur, and Dwarka. It was during this transformative period that he came to be known as Neelkanth Varni.