A town was lit up in colour, complete with a 16 foot tall mechanical elephant, as an 1,800-strong procession marched through to mark the historic opening of a new spiritual centre.

Bushey was alive with song and dance on New Year’s Day to celebrate the launch of the London Spiritual Centre at Falconer Hall.

To honour the opening, a spectacular traditional Indian procession took place, organised by the Shrimad Rajchandra Mission Dharampur (SRMD), who have transformed Falconer Hall into a place of worship and spiritual centre, with the Jain faith now ready to begin a new era for the site.

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Pujya Gurudevshri alongside dignitaries flag off the Shobhayatra

In a speech, the Mayor of Hertsmere, Cllr Brenda Batten, welcomed SRMD to Bushey acknowledging the contribution the Jain community has brought to the area.

The sentiment was echoed by Lord Dolar Popat who arrived from India, while Lord Jitesh Gadhia and Sri Ramana Devi of Shiva Trust also attended.

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Flagging of the grand procession

The Procession began with a ceremonial flag-off, as classic British carriages and cars carrying deities, devotees and Pujya Gurudevshri Rakeshbhai flowed out of Bushey Academy School, followed by more than 1,800 revellers.

They danced in joyous rapture to the sound of traditional drums and devotional chants while spectators lined the streets and watched the parade go by.

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The event was even televised live in some countries around the world.

The procession culminated in a religious ceremony at the centre as SRMD sanctified Falconer Hall as a Jain place of worship.

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SRMD London are seeking to welcome the community of Bushey, through inter-faith meetings, skills workshops, talks, yoga, meditation, and are also keen to work with schools and societies.

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It will have a small temple, a gallery, a lecture hall, classroom and workshop space with a mezzanine floor.

To see video from the day, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IsXiojQyBk&t=170s

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