Kalupur Swaminarayan Temple

The land for construction of this first shrine of Swaminarayan Sampraday, was given by the British Imperial Government in India to Swaminarayan. The task of constructing this temple was entrusted personally by Swaminarayan to Ananandanand Swami (a paramhansa of the sect).[6] [8]

The installation ceremony of the murti (images) in the temple was celebrated in the presence about 50,000 of pilgrims representing many parts of India.

As per the will of Swaminarayan, the administration of the Swaminarayan Sampraday is divided into two Gadis (seats) -NarNarayan Dev Gadi and LaxmiNarayan Dev Gadi. This temple is the headquarters of the NarNarayan Dev Gadi. Green and yellow sculptures of Hindu gods and goddesses, their bodies fitted in opulent dress, cover the structure of this nineteenth-century temple.

With its architecture based on Burma teak wood, every coloured arch and bracket is a bright different shade, something that stands out in most Swaminarayan temples. According to Anjali Desai, author of India Guide Gujarat, the temple resembles a fairytale with all its colours and opulent carvings that profusely embellish every wooden bracket, column and arch. The temple attracts a million people on the day after Diwali. The temple has a multi-story guesthouse that is air conditioned and has a fully equipped medical clinic within its compound.