Inaugurated in 2010, the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir is the spiritual home of Mombasa’s vibrant Gujarati community and a striking example of traditional Indian temple architecture executed entirely in carved Italian marble and Rajasthani pink stone. Built without using a single steel beam in keeping with the ancient shilpa-shastra texts, every pillar, dome, and frieze was hand-carved in India and shipped to Mombasa for assembly. The result is a fully traditional shikhara-bound mandir improbably situated on the East African coast. Visitors of all faiths are warmly welcomed during darshan hours, when the central murtis of Bhagwan Swaminarayan and Gunatitanand Swami are open for viewing. The grounds include a community hall, a vegetarian restaurant on certain days, and beautifully maintained gardens. Photography of the exterior and grounds is encouraged; photography inside the inner sanctum is restricted out of respect. Shoes are removed before entering, and modest dress (covered shoulders and knees) is required. The temple sits within Mombasa’s larger Indian-quarter heritage alongside the Lord Shiva Temple in Old Town, the Jain Temple, and several mosques, all reminders of the island’s rich multi-faith heritage.