DIASPORIC COMMUNITY IDENTITY CONSTRUCTION, PROJECTION, AND MANIFESTATION: THE CASE OFBAPS SWAMINARAYAN MANDIR, NAIROBI

Abstract

The Indian community has always been in flux in East Africa as traders, merchants, and financiers for centuries. With the expansion of trade, Indian settlement gradually extended along the East African coast and hinterland. Due to this, the Indian Diaspora became one of the oldest communities to settle in East Africa. As they settled over time, they also brought their cultural beliefs, traditions, and ideas with them. While gradually, their identity transformed from ―South Asians in Africa to ―Asian Africans.‖ Like many diasporic communities, Indians faced the delicate challenge of preserving their cultural identities while gradually engaging with East African society. This balance between maintaining their heritage and adapting to local customs shaped their distinctive role in the region‘s history. This research, through the case study of the BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in Nairobi, assesses the expression of‘ diasporic identity within the Indian-Kenyan community. Although diasporas often experience continuous pressure to assimilate, the BAPS Mandir stands as a deliberate cultural and architectural statement of identity, resilience, and continuity. Drawing on data from a Conservation Management Plan (CMP), field observations, and community interviews, the paper also as a socio-political symbol, educational hub, and civic actor in Kenya. It highlights how the Indian community, particularly the Gujarati Swaminarayan sect, has constructed, projected, and sustained its cultural identity through spatial, ritual, and institutional frameworks over time. The paper argues that religious spaces, such as the BAPS Mandir, play a critical role in shaping collective memory, negotiating belonging, and stimulating civic engagement in postcolonial, multicultural African urban contexts.