Akshardham New Delhi
Akshardham, is a temple complex in New Delhi, India. The creator of the magnificent Swaminarayan Akshardham is Pramukh Swami Maharaj, the spiritual leader who heads the Bochasanvasi Aksharpurushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha. This sacred work of architecture was conceived by Yogiji Maharaj, the teacher of Pramukh Swami Maharaj.
Akshardham New Delhi, is a replica of the Akshardham temple present in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. The temple in Delhi was inaugurated by the then President APJ Abdul Kalam on November 7, 2005.
It is a living example of the multi-cultural and ethnic integration in India that you can see, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, a Muslim, opening a large temple complex of Hindus.
The architecture of this spectacular monument has been inspired from the ancient Vedic texts or the Sthaptya Shastra, which features varied architectural styles from different parts of India. The centre of the complex houses a 141-ft high building dedicated to Lord Swaminarayan. The entire building is made up of Italian marble and pink sandstone obtained from Rajasthan. A huge golden sculpture of Lord Swaminarayan rests under the central dome in the building. The construction of this temple on the banks of the Yamuna river, covering over 100 acres, adds to the holiness of the atmosphere.
The Akshardham temple essays the importance and beauty of ancient Indian architecture along with the Indian traditions and reflects spirituality. The essence of Akshardham lies in its meaning; Akshardham means the abode of eternal values, the divine abode of God! The beauty of the temple lies in the ornate pillars, statues and floral arrangements throughout. Lush green lawns, trees, shrubs and water fountains make up the Bharat Upavan thereby proving to be a pleasurable trip for the young and the old alike.
The Akshardham temple also follows the tradition of lighting lamps or diyas (earthen lamps - filled with oil) on the entire premises towards sunset. Those visiting this sacred place should make it a point to stay for a while after sunset so as to experience the beauty of a lamp-lit marvel!
There are numerous exhibition halls which play audio-visual presentations which are proving to be a big hit with special attention to the informative sessions. The first hall which is called Sahajanand Pradarshan presents a show on incidents from Lord Swaminarayan’s life. The presentation aims at passing the message of modesty, peace and harmony along with service to God, nation and mankind.
Nilkanth Kalyan Yatra is the second hall that plays a movie on the journey of Lord Swaminarayan across India during his teenage days.
Sanskruti Vihar, the third hall, presents a ten minute show that enthralls the audience by taking them 10,000 years back into history! Visitors actually take a ride through the entire journey taking a peek into history. The show ends with a moral/message for the future of India.
Another interesting attraction in Akshardham worth a special mention is the Yagnapurush Kund. This is actually a well with a large number of steps taking you down to the deep bottom which is a traditional “yagna kund” or a place where the holy fire is lit for performing rituals. A musical fountain show depicting the circle of life is played at night for the audience.
A visit to the temple needs almost the entire day if you wish to observe and experience the beauty of the entire premises. Some of the other attractions of this temple are The Yogihriday Kamal, Narayan Sarovar, Nilkanth Abhishek Mandap and Premvati Ahargruh.
Make sure you add this sacred attraction to your Delhi itinerary! Book with us now and make the most of your Delhi Tour. Hire a Car with us to see The Akshardham temple
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