Founded in 1907, BAPS follows the Akshar-Purushottam tradition and is led by spiritual head Mahant Swami Maharaj, with a large network of sadhus, devotees and volunteers.
BY PC Bureau
September 8, 2026: The Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha, better known as BAPS, is a major global Hindu religious and social organisation rooted in the Swaminarayan tradition. It was formally established in 1907 by Shastriji Maharaj and traces its spiritual lineage to Bhagwan Swaminarayan, who lived from 1781 to 1830. BAPS describes itself as a socio-spiritual organisation combining religious practice with education, cultural activities, humanitarian work and community service.
The organisation is built around the Akshar-Purushottam philosophy, which holds Bhagwan Swaminarayan as the supreme God and places the guru at the centre of spiritual guidance. BAPS follows a succession of spiritual gurus. Its present spiritual head is Mahant Swami Maharaj, who succeeded Pramukh Swami Maharaj after his death in 2016. BAPS says Pramukh Swami had named Mahant Swami as his spiritual successor in 2012.
The organisation expanded dramatically under Pramukh Swami Maharaj, who became its administrative head, or Pramukh, in 1950 at the age of 28. From the 1970s, he led the movement’s expansion outside India, overseeing the establishment of temples, cultural institutions and community networks across North America, Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia. BAPS now says it has more than 5,025 centres, over 1,100 sadhus and more than one million followers worldwide.
Nous comprenons les préoccupations exprimées et les prenons très au sérieux.
Compte tenu de la taille de notre délégation, la visite a été organisée en coordination avec les équipes de la tour Eiffel, au début des horaires habituels d’ouverture, afin de limiter autant que… pic.twitter.com/gyiwzmh6Jv
— BAPS Mandir Swaminarayan Hindou de Paris (@BAPSParis) September 7, 2026
At the heart of BAPS’s structure are its sadhus, or Hindu ascetics, who undertake religious teaching, travel, counselling and organisational responsibilities. They work alongside large networks of lay devotees and volunteers. The organisation also runs activities and assemblies specifically for children, young people and women, giving it a substantial community-based structure beyond its temples.
Its temples, known as mandirs, are central to this network. They serve not only as places of worship but also as centres for religious education, cultural programmes and community activities. Some of BAPS’s best-known projects include the Akshardham complexes in Gandhinagar and New Delhi and its traditional mandir in Neasden, London. BAPS says its London temple, inaugurated in 1995, was the first traditional Hindu mandir in Europe.
BAPS also has a significant social-service arm. Its activities include disaster relief, medical and educational initiatives, community service and campaigns against addiction. The organisation says its spiritual principles require devotees to follow strict personal vows, including abstinence from alcohol, meat and addictions.
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The movement’s growth has made BAPS an influential representative of the modern global Hindu diaspora. Its highly organised temples, volunteer networks and religious leadership allow it to mobilise large numbers of people for festivals, charitable programmes and cultural events.
That organisational character is relevant to the controversy surrounding the recent Eiffel Tower visit by a BAPS-linked delegation. Reports said around 100 members of the group visited the monument during ceremonies connected with the opening of a major BAPS temple near Paris. Female Eiffel Tower employees alleged that they were asked to step aside or limit their presence during the visit. The tower’s operator subsequently acknowledged that conditions restricting interaction with women should not have been accepted.
The incident has therefore raised questions not only about the conduct of individual visitors but also about how large, organised religious delegations interact with public institutions in countries governed by strong principles of equality and secularism. At the same time, the reported incident should be distinguished from BAPS’s broader organisational structure and stated religious and humanitarian objectives.
