Bhagwan Swaminarayan, a spiritual leader and social reformer, was born on 2 April 1781 in Chhapaiya, near Ayodhya, and was known as Ghanshyam in his childhood. Displaying extraordinary intellect, he mastered Sanskrit scriptures and defeated scholars in debates by the age of ten. At eleven, he renounced worldly life and became Nilkanth Varni, embarking on a seven-year journey across India.
He eventually settled in Gujarat, where he met Ramanand Swami, who appointed him...