Exploring the Sacred Heritage: Akshardham Temple

Mon - Jun 17, 2024

6 min read

Table of contents

History of Akshardham temple
Significance of Akshardham temple
Speciality of Akshardham temple
Why must one visit the Akshardham temple?
Location of the temple
Darshan Timings of the temple/ Tips before visiting the temple
Special festivals celebrated at Akshardham Temple
How to reach the Temple

Akshardham Temple

Swaminarayan Akshardham is a Hindu temple and spiritual-cultural campus in Delhi, India. Also referred to as Akshardham Temple or Akshardham Delhi, the complex displays millennia of traditional and modern Hindu culture, spirituality, and architecture.

History of Akshardham Temple

Located in the heart of India i.e., New Delhi, Akshardham Temple is a marvel of architecture that unfolds the cultural legacy of thousands of years and is a tribute to Lord Swaminarayan (1781- 1830) who is the avatars, devas and great sages of Hinduism. The construction of the grand structure took almost 5 years and was inaugurated on 6 November, 2005. Artisans used ancient techniques to carve the pale red sandstone into elaborate reliefs, including 20,000 deities, saints and mythical creatures. The centrepiece is a 3m-high gold statue of Bhagwan Shri Swaminarayan surrounded by more, fabulously intricate carvings. Today the imposing structure is standing on the banks of the Yamuna River and attracts millions of tourists and pilgrims across the globe.

Significance of Akshardham Temple

Akshardham Temple stands out for its stunning architectural design, which combines elements of traditional Hindu temple architecture with modern construction techniques. The intricate stone carvings, magnificent domes, and ornate sculptures reflect the grandeur of ancient temples. It houses the idol of Bhagwan Swaminarayan and his spiritual successor, Shri Akshar Purushottam Maharaj, and is dedicated to fostering spiritual growth and education. The temple complex is not only a religious site but also a centre for cultural education and preservation. The entire area of Akshardham spans over 23 acres and includes parks, rides, lakes, sculptures and shrines flooded over the complete area of the temple. The temple complex conducts exhibitions on Hinduism, including Bhagwan Swaminarayan's life and teachings such as prayer, compassion, and non-violence.

Speciality of Akshardham Temple

Akshardham Temple comprises 200 sculptured stone figures of India's sages, monks, Acharyas and divine incarnations. It also consists of 234 ornately carved pillars, 9 ornate domes, Gajendra Pith and 20,000 statues of divine figures of India. The temple is surrounded by Narayan Sarovar, which is a lake and carries water from 151 lakes in India. There are 108 faces of cows placed along the lakes which represent 108 Hindu deities. It has a 3,000-feet-long orbital path for Parikrama made up of red stones brought from Rajasthan. It also has a two storey building, with 1,152 pillars and 145 windows. This Parikrama is spread around the temple like a beautiful garland.

There are 10 gates, which represents the 10 directions according to Vedic literature. These gates show that goodness will continue to come in from all the directions. In the Akshardham temple complex, there is a Yagnapurush Kund which is the largest yagna kund in the world. It comprises 108 small shrines and 2870 steps leading to the kund. The magnificent temple has achieved a place in the Guinness Book of World Records.

Why must one visit Akshardham Temple?

1. Offer Prayer: Offer your prayers to the deities in Garbhagriha, get blessed by the Mandapams - carved ceilings. On the first level, stroll outside through the Narayan Peeth - the bronze relief work. On the outside walls at the ground level, walk with elephants and experience their stories in Gajendra Peeth.

2. Abhishek Mandap: Participate in a prayer for peace and for fulfilment of your wishes. Be part of a spiritual ritual and offer holy water to Neelkanth - the teenage-yogi form of Bhagwan Swaminarayan.

3. Exhibitions: Artistically mesmerising, scientifically stunning, culturally moving, and spiritually elevating, the exhibitions create amazing environments capable of transporting viewers to ancient India. The exhibitions are composed of three parts:
Sahajanand Darshan – Hall of Values
Neelkanth Darshan – Large Format Film
Sanskruti Darshan – Cultural Boat Ride

4. Water Show: Sahaj Anand - A breathtaking spiritual multimedia water show. Multi-color lasers, video projects, underwater flames, water jets and surround sound in symphony with lights and live actors produce a captivating and inspiring presentation of an important story from the Kena Upanishad.

5. Thematic Gardens: A visit to Swaminarayan Akshardham’s two thematic gardens is a conversation with nature, history and culture. Learn about inspiring children, men and women from Indian history at the Bharat Upvan. Imbibe the wisdom of great minds from around the world at the Yogihriday Kamal.

Location of the Temple

Akshardham temple is located at Pramukh Swami Maharaj Marg, East Delhi, India. The temple is close to the border with Noida.

Best time to visit

The ideal time to visit Akshardham temple in Delhi is during the cooler months of October to March. During this period, the weather is pleasant with the mercury ranging from 12 to 25 degrees Celsius, providing a comfortable environment to explore the grandeur of the temple complex without facing the extreme heat of the Indian summer.

Tips before visiting the temple

1. Timings: You can visit Akshardham temple between 10 to 6:30 pm from Tuesday to Sunday. Please note that the temple is closed on Monday.

2. Facilities: You can get many facilities in the temple such as - parking, cloak room, lost & found, telephone booth, ATM, restrooms, wheelchair and food court.

3. Security check: Please make sure to check the list of items not allowed inside the temple before visiting.

4. Dress code: The Mandir is a sacred house of God and a place of daily worship. To preserve its sanctity and spiritual ambience, a strict dress code operates within the complex.
Upper Wear: Must cover the shoulders, chest, navel, and upper arms
Lower Wear: Must be at least below knee-length
5. Entry: Entry to the mandir complex and mandir darshan is absolutely FREE and requires no prior appointment. You need to pay only for exhibitions and shows.

Famous Festivals

1. Diwali: The holy festival of Diwali celebrates the attainment of enlightenment and freedom from the darkness of ignorance. Every year, for the past 31 years, Swaminarayan Akshardham has celebrated this auspicious occasion by lighting 10,000 traditional lamps.

2. Annakut Mahotsav: It is one of the most important festivals, as it commemorates the day Lord Krishna lifted the Govardhan Parvat to safeguard the people of vraj against Lord Indra’s vengeful rains.