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Ashwinbhai Morarjibhai Soni (Ghaghada) and the Crawley Mandir committee welcome

HRH Duke of Gloucester at the Crawley (London) Temple

HRH Duke of Glucester was visited Apple Tree Centre on 14 October 2015 and was warmly welcomed by Trustees, Committee members and volunteers.


HRH the Duke of Gloucester was escorted by Ashwinbhai Soni and Kokilaben Patel to the Mandir.


His Royal Highness was accompanied by
the Lord-Lieutenant of West Sussex, Mrs Susan Pyper. Mrs Pat Arculus – Chairman,
West Sussex County Council,
Cllr Miss Chris Cheshire, DL – Mayor of Crawley and Mr Giles York, QPM – Chief Constable Sussex Police

Gurjar Hindu Union is celebrating its 5th Anniversary since building the prestigious Apple Tree Centre, Sanatan Mandir and Community Centre in Crawley.

It is a purpose built temple and community centre in Crawley (near Gatwick Airport).

On entering the Temple, Ashwinbhai explained the Statue of Gods and the design of the Mandir/Centre, HRH was very interested in architecture of the building and forming an appreciation
of the statues of all Hindu gods, goddess and animals and stopped to admire the ornate pink sand stone carvings of the Porch and
wooden entrance doors

Ashwinbhai spearhead the whole project for celebrating the 5th anniversary including this visit by His Royal Highness.


HRH presented with a marble model of the temple

Ashwinbhai in his message said “Mandir have held several celebrations this year and continue to hold more. The committee were very honoured to have stapna of Mahavir Swami Murti in our
Temple in the presence of Shri Nalinbhai Kothari. Last month Pujya Bhaishree Rameshbhai Oza came for half a day to join in the celebrations.

Yesterday we were honoured to have HRH Duke of Gloucester come to visit our Temple and meet all the community members. It was a proud moment for all of us”.

Please view the attached for a small report on the visit.

http://www.crawleyobserver.co.uk/news/local/photos-and-video-royal-visit-at-crawley-hindu-temple-1-7003257


Press Statement

His Roy Highness the Duke of Gloucester accompanied by the Lord-Lieutenant of West Sussex, Mrs Susan Pyper. Mrs Pat Arculus – Chairman, West Sussex County Council, Cllr Miss Chris Cheshire, DL – Mayor of Crawley and Mr Giles York, QPM – Chief Constable Sussex Police visited Apple Tree Centre on 14 October 2015.

Gurjar Hindu Union is celebrating its 5th Anniversary since building the prestigious Apple Tree Centre, Sanatan Mandir and Community Centre in Crawley.

The Hindus of Crawley were honoured and delighted with HRH visit. Chandubhai Nayee (Religious Chairman) said “this is our proud moment and an historic visit”.

HRH the Duke of Gloucester was escorted by Ashwin Soni & Kokilaben Patel to the Mandir, stopping to admire the ornate pink sand stone carvings of the Porch and wooden entrance doors

On entering the Temple, Mr Soni explained the Statue of Gods and the design of the Mandir/Centre, HRH was very interested in architecture of the building and forming an appreciation of the statues of all Hindu gods, goddess and animals.

Mrs Patel then presented: Rajeshkumar Dave - Temple Priest, who put a tilaka (mark of respect) on the forehead of HRH and recited a welcome prayer. Chandubhai Nayee placed a garland on HRH. Umesh Nayee briefly explained GHU history/current state. Dilip Limbachia explained activities carried out in the Centre. The following were also presented to HRH: Deven Patel, Hasmukh Mulji and Piyooshbhai Chotai – GHU Ambassador.

HRH the Duke of Gloucester was escorted to the Dhamacha Suite. Here he met the rest of the community including past officers, teachers, youth, Day Centre members and volunteers. The 60 members present found HRH very friendly, deeply interested in all aspects of GHU work and activities and very happy to allow several photographs to be taken.

Finally HRH the Duke of Gloucester was escorted to the reception area to view the donation board and explanation was given about how the funds for £3.6 million project were raised for the building from the community members. Finally we presented HRH a momento with a marble model of the Temple, a book of 108 Saints and GHU magazines.

End. For further information contact Ashwin Soni (ashel@hotmail.co.uk or 07833252551)

Gurjar Hindu Union (GHU)

GHU represents the Indian Hindu community that originally came from the Gujarat State in India. Gurjar was the original name of the state of Gujarat. The members of GHU originate mainly from India and East Africa. GHU was formed in 1968 and it an old established minority ethnic led charitable organisation in Crawley. There are 1200 families or 5,000 members in GHU.

GHU is a volunteer led charity which has established itself as a well-run and sustainable organisation.

Through prudent financial management and funds raised from the community it serves, GHU first established a Small Temple and Community Centre in Spencer road. The vision GHU had was to build a purpose built Centre in Crawley. Thus in 2010 a very modern Santatan Mandir (Temple) and Community Centre (SMCC) was built by GHU at a cost of £3.6 million. The facility is fondly called Apple Tree Centre, being built on 2.9 acres land originally known as Apple Tree Farm

The Indian Community pledged in 1992 to build a Hindu Temple and Community Centre in Crawley at a major nine day-long sermons (katha) recited by revered Pujya Moribapu. The katha attracted up to 20,000 people to Crawley from all over the country. The katha was very popular and enabled GHU to become well known in the whole country. Whilst it was a major undertaking meticulous planning and organisation made it the best organised katha raising £250,000 for the Temple project.

History of GHU – The Journey

Since 1968, Gurjar Hindu Union has made tremendous progress in providing a solid foundation for the future of the Hindu community in Crawley and the South-East of England. The SMCC project has been a mammoth task which presented many challenges. They were all overcome and GHU made a tremendous achievements and realised the dreams of many Hindus in Crawley.

  • Gurjar – name comes from the old name of Gujarat, India

  • Gurjar Hindu Union – was formed in 1968, 46 years ago

  • Crawley - Populations is 100,000. Some 15,000 are from Black Minority Ethnic communities.

  • Hindus – There are 1200 Hindu families living in Crawley. The population of Hindus is about 4,500. There are 18,000 Hindu families around 50 miles radius of Crawley.

  • GHU - Has three main objectives to promote and enhance Culture, Education and Integration

  • Moraribapu Katha – very large Katha was held in 1992. We raised £250,000 and had many visitors who came to Crawley. On Saturday and Sunday 20,000 visitors came. At the Katha we promised to build a Sanatan Mandir and Community Centre in the future.

  • Spencers Road – in Crawley we established our Centre at Spencers Road in 1998. This was a good place to make sure the Community had a Temple and a place to meet.

  • Apple Tree Centre – after a lot of hard work we got planning permission to build Sanatan Mandir and Community Centre in 2010. The Centre has 250 car park spaces, Dhamacha Suite with a capacity of 1000 people and Temple with a capacity of 350 people.

  • 1968: GHU formed by 1st generation Indians from East Africa and the Indian Subcontinent.

  • 1989: GHU’s First Constitution approved.

  • 1992: GHU hosted ‘Ram Katha’ by Pujya Morari Bapu. Over 5,000 people attended every day for 9 days.

  • 1998: GHU purchased a disused warehouse in Spencer Road and converted it into a temporary temple community centre.

  • 2001: Planning permission was granted by Crawley Borough Council at Apple Tree Farm to build Sanatan Mandir and Community Centre.

  • 2002: GHU acquired Apple Tree Farm site, a 3 acre site close to Crawley Town centre.

  • 2003: ‘Bhumi Pujan’ (land purification) ceremony was performed at Apple Tree Farm.

  • 2004: ‘Shilanyas’ (ground-breaking) ceremony was performed at Apple Tree Farm.

  • 2007: GHU hosted ‘Ram Katha’ by Bhaishri Rameshbhai Oza. (Crawley experienced highest rail fall in history during the Katha)

  • 2007: Start of SMCC construction.

  • Autumn 2009: Completion of Dhamecha Suite, Apple Tree Centre.

  • Autumn 2009: GHU host ‘Shrimad Bhagavat Gyan Yagna’ by Bhaishri Rameshbhai Oza

  • Spring 2010: Completion of SMCC

Sanatan Mandir and Community Centre

This temple replaces the Gurjar Hindu Union's building in West Green. Work at Apple Tree Farm, a 2.9 acre (1.2 hectares) site on the Ifield/Langley Green border, began in May 2008. Planning permission was temporarily withdrawn, but work restarted in 2009 and continued until May 2010, when the temple opened. It was registered for marriages in October 2012.

The Centre has a beautiful Hindu Temple with ornate pink sand stone structure outside and white marble inside. The Centre also has a very large hall with a capacity of 1000 known as Dhamacha Suite adjacent to the Temple. The Centre was given the name of apple Tree Centre. It has 250 car park facilities and excellent facility for religious and other actives.

SMCC was built by the local Community and several other dedicated supporters. We are delighted that this unique and magnificent temple and community centre which recites six deities