The Neasden Temple, or more properly the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, is apparently the first, traditional all stone temple [Mandir]in Europe. It certainly is impressive, even if it stands in a rather ordinary outer suburb of London, near Wembley.
At the time of building at the end of the last century, it was the largest Hindu Mandir outside of India. Made of Indian and Italian marble, Bulgarian limestone, Burmese teak and English oak, the materials are of the finest, the carvings exquisitely carved in India, imported and assembled here. The adjoining Haveli is a cornucopia of geometric, wood patterns, a little reminiscent of Moorish art.
The volunteers that manage the complex are friendly, welcoming and anxious to explain the building and their faith, which is rather bewildering with its somewhat garishly decorated Murti icons, ritually infused with the spirit of the divine. Vaut la visite? Well, that rather depends on your spiritual inclinations, but architecturally, it is pretty stunning.