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Swaminarayan sect appeals for peace

The Swaminarayan sect on Wednesday said people should maintain "peace, religious harmony and solidarity" in the face of Tuesday's attack on the Akshardham temple in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.

It also cancelled daylong celebrations slated on Wednesday in memory of one of its gurus.

Doctor Swami, one of the seniormost leaders of the sect, told rediff.com during a visit to the temple that the attack on the "centre of peace and harmony" should not provoke people.

The sect's spiritual head had termed the attack atrocious and called for prayers for the souls of those who had died, he said.

"This place is universal, we have always worked for the uplift of the whole humanity, the whole of it," Dr Swami said.

At Sarangpur, the religious headquarters of the Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha, all celebrations were cancelled and special prayers were being held for the victims, said Anand Swami, one of the spokesmen for the sect.

He said September 25 was the death anniversary of Swami Maharaj, who founded BAPS. "As soon as our guruji learnt of the attack, he called off today's celebrations and called on all swamis to conduct special prayers," he said.

It was Swami Maharaj who had sent a team of swamis to build Akshardham, a splendid religious complex and a marvellous building. The entire complex is spread over 23 acres and is dedicated to Lord Swaminarayan.

The main monument is an intricately carved, majestic monument of 6,000 tons of pink sandstone, awash with spiritual stillness.

The Temple Attack: Complete Coverage
The Swaminarayan sect

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