spread of the movement through the post–World
War II Indian DIASPORA.
At the beginning of the 1970s, Yogiji Maha-
raj sent four monks to America in response to
a request from some immigrants from Gujarat.
In 1972 the group who assembled in response
to their visit established a center and purchased
a temple on Long Island, New York. Pramukh
Swami Maharaj in 1974 made the first of what
were to be many journeys to the United States. He
installed a group of deities for the community and
has held similar ceremonies across North America
in subsequent visits.
Today, international headquarters for the
movement is in Ahmedabad, India. The group
supports several institutions of higher learning
such as the Pramuch Swami Medical College, the
School of Architecture at S. P. University, and the
Pramukh Swami Science College, all in Gujurat.
Internationally the movement has a following
in Tanzania, Uganda, South Africa, Australia,
Belgium, Germany, England, Canada, the United
States, Singapore, and Thailand. Worldwide there
are more than 3,000 centers.Further reading: H. T. Dave, Life and Philosophy of Shree
Swaminarayan (London: George Allen & Unwin, 1974);
Sadhu Shantipriyadas, Mandir Traditions and Belief
(Amdavad, India: Swaminarayan Aksaharpith, 1998);
Sadhu Vivekjivandas and Sadhu Amrutvijaydas, Basic
Concepts of Swaminarayan Satsang (Amdavad: Swami-
narayan Aksaharpith, 2002); Raymond Brady Williams,
A New Face of Hinduism: The Swaminarayan Religion
(Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1984).SYDA Foundation See CHIDVILASANANDA,
SWAMI.SYDA Foundation 431 J