The history of the Swaminarayan Sampradaya is closely linked with the historic town of Dharampur, situated on the banks of the Waki River, popularly known as the Swargavahini. This association stems from a significant event in the life of Lord Swaminarayan, who stayed in Dharampur for nearly six months. His visit transformed the town into an important center of pilgrimage for his followers. Today, the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir stands as a lasting reminder of this sacred connection. Established by the ‘Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha’ (BAPS), it is one of the prominent Swaminarayan temples in the region and attracts devotees from across Gujarat and beyond.
The Swaminarayan movement emerged in Gujarat during the early nineteenth century under the leadership of Swami Sahajanand, who is revered by his followers as Bhagwan Swaminarayan. He was born as Ghanshyam Pande in 1781. At the age of twelve, he renounced worldly life and embarked on a seven-year pilgrimage across India. 
During this period, he was known as Neelkanth Varni and undertook rigorous spiritual practices, including penance in the Himalayas. In 1800, he received initiation from Swami Muktanand at Mangrol in Saurashtra and was later formally initiated by Guru Ramanand at Piplana.
After settling in Gujarat, Sahajanand devoted himself to religious and social reform. Drawing upon the philosophical traditions of Ramanujacharya’s ‘Vishishtadvaita’ and Vallabhacharya’s ‘Shuddhadvaita’, he preached a path centred on devotion, moral discipline and compassion. Guru Ramanand bestowed upon him the name Sahajanand. Following Ramanand’s death in 1801, Sahajanand assumed leadership of the sect and reorganised its activities. Travelling from village to village, he spread the Swaminarayan Mahamantra and attracted a large following. 
Alongside his spiritual teachings, he campaigned against social evils such as sati, female infanticide, animal sacrifice, alcohol consumption, gambling, theft, adultery, superstition and obscenity during religious festivals. Like Jainism, his teachings placed great emphasis on non-violence and vegetarianism. He strongly opposed the killing of animals, even as part of sacrificial rituals. He also introduced a strict moral code for his followers and taught that Lord Swaminarayan was identical with Lord Krishna and worthy of complete devotion. According to Swaminarayan tradition, he later explained the purpose of his divine incarnation to Gopalanand Swami in November 1820. He departed from his mortal body in 1830.
Before his death, Swaminarayan established two principal dioceses of the sect in 1825. 
The first, at Ahmedabad, became the Nar-Narayan Dev Gadi, while the second, at Vadtal, became the Laxmi-Narayan Dev Gadi. He ordained that the office of Acharya should remain hereditary. Accordingly, Ayodhyaprasad, the son of his elder brother Rampratap Pande, was appointed Acharya of the Ahmedabad diocese, while Raghuvir, the son of his younger brother Ichharam, became the Acharya of the Vadtal diocese.
In 1905, Shastri Yagnapurushdas, later known as Shastriji Maharaj, founded the ‘Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha’ (BAPS) at Bochasan following differences over doctrinal and administrative matters. BAPS teaches that Bhagwan Swaminarayan continues to guide devotees through an unbroken lineage of spiritually enlightened Gunatit Gurus.
According to the tradition, Gunatitanand Swami was the first spiritual successor in this lineage. Today, Mahant Swami Maharaj serves as its spiritual leader.
It was during the lifetime of Lord Swaminarayan that the sect established its historic association with the princely state of Dharampur. The kingdom was founded by Rana Ramshah (reigned 1262–1295), a branch of the Sisodia Rajput dynasty of Udaipur in Rajasthan. According to ‘Dharampur – A Brief Sketch of its History and Administration’ by Naoroji M. Dumasia (The Times Press, Bombay, 1928), the original capital of the state was at Mandavgan. In 1766, Maharana Dharamdevji Ramdev founded a new capital and named it Dharampur. Maharana Somdev II ascended the throne in 1777. His queen, Kushal Kunwarba, was a devoted follower of Lord Swaminarayan. After Somdev’s death, his son Rupdev succeeded him but also died at a young age. Consequently, in 1807, Queen Kushal Kunwarba supervised the coronation of her young grandson, Vijaydev and assumed an important role in the administration of the state.
Tradition describes Kushal Kunwarba as a deeply religious queen who spent much of her time listening to discourses on the Bhagavata Purana. During Vijaydev’s reign, Swami Chaitanyanand, one of Lord Swaminarayan’s prominent paramahamsa disciples, visited Dharampur. When the queen sought to touch his feet in reverence, he respectfully declined, saying that he was an ascetic of Lord Swaminarayan. Curious to know more about the saint he served, Kushal Kunwarba enquired about Lord Swaminarayan and soon developed a deep desire to meet him. She subsequently sent a formal invitation requesting him to visit Dharampur.
Lord Swaminarayan accepted the invitation and was welcomed with great honour. 
The state arranged a grand procession in his honour, with elephants, chariots and richly caparisoned horses lining the principal streets of the capital. Moved by the queen’s devotion, he stayed in Dharampur for nearly six months. During this period, he celebrated several religious festivals, including Vasant Panchami and delivered spiritual discourses to devotees. According to Swaminarayan tradition, Queen Kushal Kunwarba was formally initiated into the sect during his stay. These events gave Dharampur a unique place in the history of the Swaminarayan Sampradaya. To commemorate this sacred association, the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) later built the present temple in the town.
Swaminarayan temples are renowned for their traditional Indian architecture,
finely carved stonework and harmonious proportions. The BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir at Dharampur is no exception. Situated on the outskirts of the town, the temple stands within a spacious walled complex surrounded by landscaped gardens and well-maintained lawns, creating a peaceful atmosphere for worship and meditation. Constructed entirely of white marble, the temple rises on two storeys. The ground floor houses a large community and cultural hall, while the main shrine is located on the upper level. A broad flight of 32 steps leads to the spacious courtyard, where stone benches provide seating for visitors and pilgrims. The temple follows the traditional layout of Swaminarayan architecture. It consists of three entrance porches (Mukhamandapas), a central assembly hall (Sabhamandapa), an Antarala (antechamber) and three Garbhagrihas (sanctums).
The porches and assembly hall are richly ornamented with finely carved marble pillars, decorative arches and intricate floral motifs. The outer pillars are connected by elegantly carved arches, enhancing both the beauty and structural balance of the building. Inside the assembly hall, the heavy beams resting on the carved brackets and the corbelled ceiling are richly decorated with intricate ornamental designs. Beyond the assembly hall lies the Antarala, which leads to the temple’s three sanctums. Marble niches on either side of the Antarala enshrine the idols of Lord Ganesha and Lord Hanuman. The doorframes of all three sanctums are adorned with delicate marble carvings that reflect the high standard of craftsmanship associated with BAPS temples.
The central sanctum houses the principal deities of the temple. Installed beneath an elegant marble pavilion on the Vajrapeetha (altar) are the sacred idols of Parabrahma Bhagwan Swaminarayan and Gunatitanand Swami. 
The sanctum to the right enshrines Radha and Krishna, while the sanctum to the left houses the idol of Ghanshyam Maharaj. A continuous Pradakshina Marga (circumambulatory passage) surrounds the sanctums and the Antarala, enabling devotees to perform ritual circumambulation.
Daily worship at the temple follows a well-defined schedule. The day begins with the Mangala Aarti at 6:00 am, followed by the Shringar Aarti at 7:30 am. The Rajbhog Aarti, accompanied by the ceremonial offering of food to the deities, is performed at 11:15 am. In the evening, the Sandhya Aarti takes place at 7:00 pm and the day’s worship concludes with the Shayan Aarti at 8:15 pm.
Darshan timings are also carefully regulated throughout the day. Devotees can have darshan from 7:30 am to 10:15 am.
The sanctums then remain closed until 11:15 am for the offering of the Rajbhog Thal. Darshan resumes from 11:15 am to 12:00 noon, after which the temple remains closed from 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm. The temple reopens from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm before closing briefly for the evening Thal Seva between 6:00 pm and 7:00 pm. The final darshan session is from 7:00 pm to 8:15 pm, after which the temple closes for the night following the Shayan Aarti.
A number of religious festivals are celebrated at the temple with great devotion throughout the year. During the Hindu month of Vaishakha, the temple observes the ‘Chandan Vagha’ festival. To provide relief from the summer heat, the metal idols of Bhagwan Swaminarayan and Shri Harikrishna Maharaj are ceremonially covered with fragrant sandalwood paste for several days. The festival of ‘Hindola’ is celebrated to mark the birth anniversary of Lord Krishna. During this festival, the idols of the deities are placed on beautifully decorated swings and gently rocked while devotees sing bhajans and kirtans. Diwali and the Annakut Mahotsav are among the grandest celebrations at the temple. On Diwali Padva, an elaborate offering of ‘Chhappan Bhog’ (fifty-six varieties of food) is made to Bhagwan Swaminarayan, followed by community feasting and devotional programmes.
The birth anniversary of Bhagwan Swaminarayan is celebrated along with Rama Navami. Other important observances include Holi, Guru Purnima, Kojagiri Purnima, Dussehra, the holy month of Shravan and both the Ashadhi and Kartiki Ekadashi festivals. On these occasions, the temple comes alive with devotional singing, scriptural discourses, Hom-Havan rituals and the distribution of Mahaprasad to devotees.
