“Forget the Great British Bake Off – It’s all about the Wembley Stadium cake here at Shree Swaminarayan Mandir Kingsbury” Sadiq Khan MP, London Mayoral Candidate.

The Diwali and Hindu New Year festival this year was a uniquely spectacular affair at Shree Swaminarayan Mandir Kingsbury, as not only did members of the Mandir community go to Wembley Stadium this week to welcome the Indian Prime Minister to the UK, but the Stadium itself was brought to the Mandir in the form of an intricate cake.

Over ten thousand people visited the Mandir during the week of festivities, with the vast majority coming to see the truly outstanding Annakut display that had been placed before Lord Shree Swaminarayanbapa Swamibapa and Acharya Swamishree Marahaj on Thursday. People streamed in from 8am for the first Aarti ceremony of the day, and the Mandir was still full for the final Aarti at 9pm. Visitors included Sadiq Khan, Labour Mayoral candidate for London, Bob Blackman, MP for Harrow East, Leader of Brent Council Muhammed Butt and the Mayors of Brent and Harrow, Cllrs Lesley Jones and Krishna Suresh.