BAPS opens Sanskrit pathshala at London's Neasden temple

Mahant Swami Maharaj, the spiritual head of the Hindu organisation BAPS (Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha), on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, inaugurated the Akshar-Purushottam Sanskrit Pathshala at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Neasden, London, popularly known as Neasden Temple. The new pathshala is meant to give Sanskrit a home in London both as a subject of study and as a spoken language. It carries the name of the organisation's first Sanskrit school, founded in Mumbai more than six decades ago.

Sanskrit is the language in which most of India's classical knowledge was recorded, from the Vedas and Upanishads to texts on grammar, philosophy, mathematics, astronomy and medicine. For most of history it was learned in pathshalas, small schools attached to temples or teachers, where students memorised, recited and debated texts. The London pathshala carries that model into a Western city, aimed at a diaspora that is several generations removed from India.

The opening builds on work BAPS has already been doing in Britain. In May 2022 the organisation opened a research institute at Neasden Temple, which it said was a response to growing interest among both young and older members of the community in learning Sanskrit and understanding their scriptures more deeply. BAPS also lists diploma programmes in Sanskrit learning and teaching run with its research institute in New Delhi. A dedicated pathshala in London suggests that this interest has grown enough to support regular, structured classes.

The emphasis on conversation is notable. Sanskrit is often treated as a purely textual language, read but not spoken. Teaching it as a living language for everyday use reflects a wider movement, in India and abroad, to make Sanskrit something people use rather than only study. For young people of Indian origin abroad, the ability to read and recite texts in their original language can deepen their understanding of the philosophy behind the rituals they grow up with.

The move also adds to the growing presence of Indian knowledge traditions outside India, alongside university departments and other institutional links abroad. A pathshala run by a faith community is different from a university course: it is tied to one tradition's texts and teachings. Its reach will depend on how open its classes are and how many students it draws.

Short-term: Members of the BAPS community and others in London gain a dedicated place at Neasden Temple for Sanskrit classes and conversation.

Long-term: If it grows, the pathshala could train a generation of British Hindus able to read their scriptures in Sanskrit and to teach others.

Who is affected: The Hindu diaspora in the UK, Sanskrit learners and teachers, and the BAPS community worldwide.

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