During Bhagwan Swaminarayan’s era, the Panchmahals were a parlous place with its harsh physical features and inhabited by ignorant tribal communities. Bhagwan Swaminarayan commanded his immediate spiritual successor Sadguru Gopalanand Swami to travel these areas for the overall upliftment of the inhabitants. Sadguru Gopalanand Swami traversed the length and breadth of the Panchmahals for a moral and spiritual awakening. During the course of his travels he had wished for a mandiram – a divine place of worship which can embrace everyone for their spiritual needs.

Today in the spiritual succession of Bhagwan Swaminarayan and Sadguru Gopalanand Swami is the founder of SMVS, His Holiness Bapji. He continued the legacy with tireless efforts in the Panchmahals for over three decades. The continuum of selfless efforts has eventually lead to a broad fellowship whose lives conform with the spiritual preachings of Bhagwan Swaminarayan. To commemorate the legacy and fulfil the wish of Sadguru Gopalanand Swami a grand mandir – Shikharbaddha Mandiram (the mandir with spires) was built in the year 2006. The murtis of Bhagwan Swaminarayan, Gopalanand Swami and their spiritual succession were consecrated by His Holiness Bapji. A traditional mandir was separately constructed in pink stone for the abhishek murti (deity for abhishekam) of Bhagwan Swaminarayan in the year 2010.

The pink stone mandir with its ornate carvings, tall spires and firm domes is a centre of attraction for tourists, devouts and pilgrims from India and abroad. More than a million visitors have performed the sacred ritual of Abhishekam during these years for their material and spiritual needs. Everyone visiting this place relishes with a peculiar joy in the lap of nature amidst a special spiritual ambience.