Akshardham, New Delhi

Akshardham, New Delhi

Akshardham is a Swaminarayan temple complex in Delhi, built as a monument to Hindu culture and Indian history, tracing millenia of cultural and scientific progress.

Akshardham is a Swaminarayan temple complex in Delhi, built as a monument to Hindu culture and Indian history, tracing millenia of cultural and scientific progress. On the banks of the Yamuna river, it holds the Guinness World Record for being the largest comprehensive Hindu temple. Constructed entirely from Rajasthani pink sandstone and Italian Carrara marble, its intricately carved facade depicts scenes from Lord Swaminarayan's life as well as Hindu Goddesses, avatars, and saints. It has an 11-ft golden statue of the founder of the Swaminarayan faith, Bhagwan Swaminarayan.

It has 3 main halls -

• Sahajanand Darshan or Hall of Values has light and sound shows with robotics illustrating universal human values through parables from Swaminarayan's life,
• Neelkanth Darshan screens a movie that takes viewers through India's sacred places and traditions,
• Sanskruti Vihar has an excellent 15 minute boat-ride through 10,000 years of Indian heritage, as you sail past recreations of ancient villages, bazaars, schools, and tableaus with astronomers, scientists and mathematicians as well as writers and saints.

The Yagnapurush Kund is India's largest step well built in the shape of a ritualistic fire pot, and puts on a musical fountain show. The Narayan Sarovar pool has waters from the 151 rivers, lakes and wells visited by Swaminarayan. There are 10 gates representing the 10 principal directions in Indian culture, with the Bhakti Dwar or Gate of Devotion depicting the dual form of God and His Devotee, and the 2 Mayur Dwars or Peacock Gates adorned with an astounding 869 sculptures of the national bird of India.