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Akshardham (Delhi)
Encyclopedia
Akshardham is a Hindu temple
complex in Delhi
, India
. Also referred to as Delhi Akshardham or Swaminarayan Akshardham, the complex displays millennia of traditional Indian and Hindu culture, spirituality, and architecture. The building was inspired and moderated by Pramukh Swami Maharaj
, the spiritual head of the Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha, whose 3,000 volunteers helped 7,000 artisan
s construct Akshardham.
The temple, which attracts approximately 70 percent of all tourists who visit Delhi, was officially opened on 6 November 2005. It sits on the banks of the Yamuna
adjacent to the 2010 Commonwealth Games
village. The monument, at the center of the complex, was built off of the Vastu Shastra
and Pancharatra Shastra
. The complex features a large central monument crafted entirely of stone, exhibitions on incidents from the life of Swaminarayan and the history of India
, an IMAX
feature, a musical fountain
, and large landscaped gardens. The temple is named after a belief
in Swaminarayan Hinduism.
The main monument, at the center of the complex, is 141 feet (43 m) high, 316 feet (96.3 m) wide, and 370 feet (112.8 m) long, and is covered top to bottom with carved details of flora
, fauna
, dancers, musicians, and deities.
Designed in accordance with ancient Vedic text known as the Sthapatya Shastra
, it features a blend of architectural styles from across India. It is constructed entirely from Rajasthan
i pink sandstone and Italian Carrara marble, and has no support from steel or concrete. The monument also consists of 234 ornately carved pillars, nine domes, and 20,000 murti
s and statues of Hinduism’s sadhu
s, devotees, and acharya
s. The monument also features the Gajendra Pith at its base, a plinth paying tribute to the elephant for its importance in Hindu culture and India's history. It contains 148 scale sized elephants in total and weighs a total of 3000 tons.
Within the monument, under the central dome, lies a murti
or statue of Swaminarayan which is 11 feet (3.4 m) high. The murti is surrounded by similar statues of the guru
s of the sect. Each murti is made of paanch daatu or five metals in accordance to Hindu tradition. Also within the central monument lie the murtis of other Hindu deities
, including Sita
Ram
, Radha Krishna
, Shiv
Parvati
, and Lakshmi
Narayan
.
and dioramas which display incidents from Swaminarayan's life, portraying his message about the importance of peace, harmony, humility, service to others and devotion to God. The Sahajanand Pradarshan is set in 18th century India and displays of 15 dioramas through robotics, fiber optics, light and sound effects, dialogues, and music. The hall features the world's smallest animatronic robot in the form of Ghanshyam Maharaj, the child form of Swaminarayan.
, an international version of the film called, was released in 2005 at IMAX theatres and giant screen cinemas worldwide. A 27 feet (8.2 m) tall bronze murti
of Neelkanth Varni is located outside the theatre.
. The fountain measures 300 feet (91.4 m) by 300 feet (91.4 m) with 2,870 steps and 108 small shrines. In its center lies an eight-petaled lotus shaped yagna kund designed according to the Jayaakhya Samhita of the Panchratra
shastra
.
, the world's first university
, chemistry
laboratories, ancient hospitals, and bazaars, finally ending with a message expressing hope for the future of India.
.
when viewed from above, features large stones engraved with quotes from world luminaries ranging from Shakespeare and Martin Luther King to Swami Vivekananda
and Swaminarayan.
, a ritual of pouring water on to the murti
of Neelkanth Varni, and express their reverence and prayers for spiritual upliftment and fulfillment of wishes.
or the 108 names for god, from which holy water issues forth.
and Ellora caves in Maharashtra
, India and an Ayurvedic bazaar. The restaurant caters a variety of traditional dishes.
In 1982, Pramukh Swami Maharaj
, Yogiji Maharaj's successor as the spiritual head of BAPS, started to continue fulfilling the dream of his guru Yogiji Maharaj and prompted devotees to look into the possibility of building the temple in Delhi. A request for the plan was put forward to the Delhi Development Authority
(DDA), and several different places were suggested, including Ghaziabad, Gurgaon
, and Faridabad
. Pramukh Swami Maharaj stood firm in following the wishes of Yogiji Maharaj to build a temple on the Yamuna.
In April 2000, after 18 years, the Delhi Development Authority offered 60 acres (242,811.6 m²) of land, and the Uttar Pradesh
Government offered 30 acres (121,405.8 m²) for the project. Upon receiving the land, Pramukh Swami Maharaj performed puja on the site for success in the project. Construction on the temple began on 8 November 2000 and Akshardham was officially opened on 6 November 2005, with the building being completed in two days short of five years.
s were assigned to oversee the Akshardham project. The majority of the team had gained experience from work on the Akshardham
in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. During development, Pramukh Swami Maharaj
was consulted in many aspects of the monument's construction.
Around 1997 and 1998, the idea to start development on the temple, by beginning the stone carving, had been requested. However, this idea was denied by Pramukh Swami Maharaj who believed that the construction should only start after the land was acquired. The initial work done on the site was on the foundation. Due to the soft river bank, the site wasn't considered ideal for construction. As a result, a deep foundation was imperative. To construct a stable foundation, 15 feet (4.6 m) of rocks and sand were entwined with wire mesh and topped by five feet of concrete. Five million fired bricks raised the foundation another 21.5 feet (6.6 m). These bricks were then topped by three more feet of concrete to form the main support under the monument.
On 2 July 2001, the first sculpted stone was laid. The team of eight sadhus consisted of scholars in the field of the Pancharatra Shastra
, a Hindu scripture on architecture and deity carving. The sadhus watched over stone work as well as the research on carvings on Indian craftsmanship from between 8th and 12th century. This research was done at various sites such as Angkor Wat
, as well as Jodhpur
, Jagannath Puri
, Konark
, and other temples in South India
.
Seven thousand carvers and three thousand volunteers were put to work for the construction Akshardham. With over 6,000 tons of pink sandstone coming from Rajasthan
, workshop sites were set up around places within the state. Amongst the carvers were local farmers and fifteen hundred tribal women who had suffered from a drought and received economic gain due to this work. The initial stone cutting was done by machine, while the detailed carvings were done by hand. Every night, over one hundred trucks were sent to Akshardham, where four thousand workers and volunteers operated on the construction site.
and ceremoniously dedicated to the nation by the President of India
, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
,
the Prime Minister
, Manmohan Singh
, and the Leader of the Opposition
in the Indian Parliament, Lal Krishna Advani
, with the presence of 25,000 guests. After touring the central monument, President Kalam then gave a speech on where Akshardham fits with society, and finished by saying,
Prime Minister Singh followed by hoping that this would usher in religious tolerance and praised the architecture of the complex. He made note of it becoming a future landmark of India while L. K. Advani called it "the most unique monument of the world."
Pramukh Swami Maharaj ended the night's speeches and expressed the wish that, "In this Akshardham, may one and all find inspiration to mould their lives and may their lives become divine. Such is my prayer to god."
s, including the 11 feet (3.4 m) Swaminarayan murti, were damaged in a fire inside the monument. The six murtis had been placed on a wooden pedestal which was gutted by a fire caused by a short circuit
within the monument's cooling system. The murtis were damaged when the platform gave way.
On 13 July 2010, a newly designed garbhagruh, or inner sanctum, was inaugurated by Pramukh Swami Maharaj in the main monument within the Akshardham complex. The new garbhagruh includes a decorated, canopied sihasan, upon which the murti of Swaminarayan rests and features intricate carvings and gold-leafed designs. While the fire led to some of the renovations, the Akshardham monument currently features a state-of-the-art safety system that ranks amongst the best in Delhi.
Akshardham served as a featured attraction during the 2010 Commonwealth Games
held in Delhi. Through the duration of the Games, hundreds of athletes, teams, and enthusiasts from around the world visited the complex. On 14 November 2010, the Swaminarayan Research Institute at Akshardham was inaugurated through an event organized by the women’s faction of the organization, highlighting the value of seva
, or socially beneficial volunteer efforts, in society through mandirs, churches, mosques, and other places of worship. Anju Bhargava
, the founder of the Hindu American Seva Charities and advisor to President
Barack Obama
on faith-based issues, delivered the keynote address, which emphasized the need for seva in society and the vital role of spirituality in one’s life.
On 17 December 2007, Michael Whitty, an official world record adjudicator for Guinness World Records
, traveled to Ahmedabad
, India to present a new world record to Pramukh Swami Maharaj
, the spiritual leader of BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, for the Akshardham complex.
The record was presented for Akshardham as the World’s Largest Comprehensive Hindu Temple (certificate).
The certificate states,
Upon presentation of the award, Michael Whitty stated, "It took us three months of research, poring over the extensive architectural plans of the Akshardham and also those of other temples of comparable size, visiting and inspecting the site, before we were convinced that Akshardham deserved the title..."
in Madurai
, the Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple in Srirangam
, and the Annamalaiyar Temple
in Thiruvannamalai, all located in Tamil Nadu
, India, are claimed to be larger than Akshardham. The trustees of these temples have reportedly disputed the Guinness World Record.
The Meenakshi temple in Madurai has the length of 850 feet (259.1 m) and width of 800 feet (243.8 m). The entire area of this temple is 17 acre (0.06879662 km²), while the Sri Ranganathaswamy temple in Srirangam covers 156 acre (0.63131016 km²) and the Arunachaleswarar Temple in Thiruvannamalai is 24 acre (0.09712464 km²). Authorities at the Meenakshi temple have argued that temples are places for worship and therefore additional features and exhibitions are not components of a temple. They have also argued that construction area of the actual temple is more important than the land area.
Akshardham Gandhinagar has attracted millions of visitors from across the world, including Bill Clinton
who commented, "Akshardham is not only a unique place in India but in the whole world. It is even more beautiful than what I had imagined. Taj Mahal
is definitely beautiful, but this place, along with beauty, has a beautiful message."
Other
Hindu temple
A Mandir, Devalayam, Devasthanam, or a Hindu temple is a place of worship for followers of Hinduism...
complex in Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. Also referred to as Delhi Akshardham or Swaminarayan Akshardham, the complex displays millennia of traditional Indian and Hindu culture, spirituality, and architecture. The building was inspired and moderated by Pramukh Swami Maharaj
Pramukh Swami Maharaj
Pramukh Swami Maharaj is the fifth spiritual successor of Bhagwan Swaminarayan in the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, a Hindu organization, and the current guru of the sect....
, the spiritual head of the Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha, whose 3,000 volunteers helped 7,000 artisan
Artisan
An artisan is a skilled manual worker who makes items that may be functional or strictly decorative, including furniture, clothing, jewellery, household items, and tools...
s construct Akshardham.
The temple, which attracts approximately 70 percent of all tourists who visit Delhi, was officially opened on 6 November 2005. It sits on the banks of the Yamuna
Yamuna
The Yamuna is the largest tributary river of the Ganges in northern India...
adjacent to the 2010 Commonwealth Games
2010 Commonwealth Games
The 2010 Commonwealth Games, officially known as the XIX Commonwealth Games, were held in Delhi, India, from 3 to 14 October 2010. A total of 6,081 athletes from 71 Commonwealth nations and dependencies competed in 21 sports and 272 events, making it the largest Commonwealth Games till date...
village. The monument, at the center of the complex, was built off of the Vastu Shastra
Vastu Shastra
Vastu Shastra is an ancient doctrine which consists of precepts born out of a traditional and archaic view on how the laws of nature affect human dwellings. The designs are based on directional alignments...
and Pancharatra Shastra
Pañcaratra
Pāñcarātra are the Vaishnava Sanskrit texts dedicated to worship of Narayana and form part of the Agamas.Unlike Vaikhanasa tradition, the Pancaratric tradition of Agamas prescribe image worship in the place of rituals like Yajnas, mentioned in the Vedas...
. The complex features a large central monument crafted entirely of stone, exhibitions on incidents from the life of Swaminarayan and the history of India
History of India
The history of India begins with evidence of human activity of Homo sapiens as long as 75,000 years ago, or with earlier hominids including Homo erectus from about 500,000 years ago. The Indus Valley Civilization, which spread and flourished in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent from...
, an IMAX
IMAX
IMAX is a motion picture film format and a set of proprietary cinema projection standards created by the Canadian company IMAX Corporation. IMAX has the capacity to record and display images of far greater size and resolution than conventional film systems...
feature, a musical fountain
Musical fountain
A musical fountain is a type of animated fountain for entertainment purposes that creates an aesthetic design . This is achieved by employing the effects of timed sound waves and timed light against water particles...
, and large landscaped gardens. The temple is named after a belief
Akshardham (Philosophy)
Akshardham is believed to be the divine abode of Swaminarayan. The followers of Swaminarayan believed that the jiva or soul goes to Akshardham after salvation to attain moksha....
in Swaminarayan Hinduism.
Monument
Flora
Flora is the plant life occurring in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring or indigenous—native plant life. The corresponding term for animals is fauna.-Etymology:...
, fauna
Fauna
Fauna or faunæ is all of the animal life of any particular region or time. The corresponding term for plants is flora.Zoologists and paleontologists use fauna to refer to a typical collection of animals found in a specific time or place, e.g. the "Sonoran Desert fauna" or the "Burgess shale fauna"...
, dancers, musicians, and deities.
Designed in accordance with ancient Vedic text known as the Sthapatya Shastra
Maharishi Sthapatya Veda
Maharishi Sthapatya Veda is a set of architectural and planning principles assembled by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi based on "ancient Sanskrit texts" Maharishi Sthapatya Veda architecture is also called "Maharishi Vastu" architecture, "Fortune-Creating" buildings and homes, and "Maharishi Vedic...
, it features a blend of architectural styles from across India. It is constructed entirely from Rajasthan
Rajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
i pink sandstone and Italian Carrara marble, and has no support from steel or concrete. The monument also consists of 234 ornately carved pillars, nine domes, and 20,000 murti
Murti
In Hinduism, a murti , or murthi, or vigraha or pratima typically refers to an image which expresses a Divine Spirit . Meaning literally "embodiment", a murti is a representation of a divinity, made usually of stone, wood, or metal, which serves as a means through which a divinity may be worshiped...
s and statues of Hinduism’s sadhu
Sadhu
In Hinduism, sādhu denotes an ascetic, wandering monk. Although the vast majority of sādhus are yogīs, not all yogīs are sādhus. The sādhu is solely dedicated to achieving mokṣa , the fourth and final aśrama , through meditation and contemplation of brahman...
s, devotees, and acharya
Acharya
In Indian religions and society, an acharya is a guide or instructor in religious matters; founder, or leader of a sect; or a highly learned man or a title affixed to the names of learned men...
s. The monument also features the Gajendra Pith at its base, a plinth paying tribute to the elephant for its importance in Hindu culture and India's history. It contains 148 scale sized elephants in total and weighs a total of 3000 tons.
Within the monument, under the central dome, lies a murti
Murti
In Hinduism, a murti , or murthi, or vigraha or pratima typically refers to an image which expresses a Divine Spirit . Meaning literally "embodiment", a murti is a representation of a divinity, made usually of stone, wood, or metal, which serves as a means through which a divinity may be worshiped...
or statue of Swaminarayan which is 11 feet (3.4 m) high. The murti is surrounded by similar statues of the guru
Guru
A guru is one who is regarded as having great knowledge, wisdom, and authority in a certain area, and who uses it to guide others . Other forms of manifestation of this principle can include parents, school teachers, non-human objects and even one's own intellectual discipline, if the...
s of the sect. Each murti is made of paanch daatu or five metals in accordance to Hindu tradition. Also within the central monument lie the murtis of other Hindu deities
Hindu deities
Within Hinduism a large number of personal gods are worshipped as murtis. These beings are either aspects of the supreme Brahman, Avatars of the supreme being, or significantly powerful entities known as devas. The exact nature of belief in regards to each deity varies between differing Hindu...
, including Sita
SITA
SITA is a multinational information technology company specialising in providing IT and telecommunication services to the air transport industry...
Ram
Rama
Rama or full name Ramachandra is considered to be the seventh avatar of Vishnu in Hinduism, and a king of Ayodhya in ancient Indian...
, Radha Krishna
Radha Krishna
Radha Krishna is a Hindu deity. Krishna is often referred as svayam bhagavan in Gaudiya Vaishnavism theology and Radha is a young woman, a gopi who is Krishna's supreme beloved. With Krishna, Radha is acknowledged as the Supreme Goddess, for it is said that she controls Krishna with Her love...
, Shiv
Shiv
The word Shiv or shiv may refer to:* Shiv , a type of sharp weapon* Shiva, a Hindu deity* A fictional location in Magic: The Gathering, see Dominaria* Shiv, a villain in the animated series Static Shock...
Parvati
Parvati
Parvati is a Hindu goddess. Parvati is Shakti, the wife of Shiva and the gentle aspect of Mahadevi, the Great Goddess...
, and Lakshmi
Lakshmi
Lakshmi or Lakumi is the Hindu goddess of wealth, prosperity , light, wisdom, fortune, fertility, generosity and courage; and the embodiment of beauty, grace and charm. Representations of Lakshmi are also found in Jain monuments...
Narayan
Narayan
Narayan may refer to:*Narayana, an Indian name, an important Sanskrit name for Vishnu*Narayanan, an Indian name*Narain, an Indian name- People :*Aditya Narayan, Indian television show host*Anand Narayan, Indian television personality...
.
Hall of Values
Also known as Sahajanand Pradarshan, the Hall of Values features life-like roboticsRobotics
Robotics is the branch of technology that deals with the design, construction, operation, structural disposition, manufacture and application of robots...
and dioramas which display incidents from Swaminarayan's life, portraying his message about the importance of peace, harmony, humility, service to others and devotion to God. The Sahajanand Pradarshan is set in 18th century India and displays of 15 dioramas through robotics, fiber optics, light and sound effects, dialogues, and music. The hall features the world's smallest animatronic robot in the form of Ghanshyam Maharaj, the child form of Swaminarayan.
Theatre
Named Neelkanth Kalyan Yatra, the theatre houses Delhi's first and only large format screen, measuring 85 feet (25.9 m) by 65 feet (19.8 m). The theatre shows a film specially commissioned for the complex, Neelkanth Yatra, to recount a seven-year pilgrimage made by Swaminarayan made during his teenage years throughout India. Mystic IndiaMystic India
Mystic India is a 2004 large format film about India's culture, people, and traditions. It is told through the 12,000 km barefoot journey throughout 18th century India undertaken by the Hindu adolescent ascetic Nilkanth, later known in life as Swaminarayan by his followers. The film was...
, an international version of the film called, was released in 2005 at IMAX theatres and giant screen cinemas worldwide. A 27 feet (8.2 m) tall bronze murti
Murti
In Hinduism, a murti , or murthi, or vigraha or pratima typically refers to an image which expresses a Divine Spirit . Meaning literally "embodiment", a murti is a representation of a divinity, made usually of stone, wood, or metal, which serves as a means through which a divinity may be worshiped...
of Neelkanth Varni is located outside the theatre.
Musical fountain
Known as the Yagnapurush Kund, it is India's largest step well. It features a very large series of steps down to a traditional yagna kund. During the day, these steps provide rest for the visitors to the complex and at night, a musical fountain show representing the circle of life is played to an audience which is seated on the same steps. The fountain is named after the founder of the Hindu organization, Shastriji MaharajShastriji Maharaj
Shastriji Maharaj was the third spiritual successor of Bhagwan Swaminarayan in the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha...
. The fountain measures 300 feet (91.4 m) by 300 feet (91.4 m) with 2,870 steps and 108 small shrines. In its center lies an eight-petaled lotus shaped yagna kund designed according to the Jayaakhya Samhita of the Panchratra
Pañcaratra
Pāñcarātra are the Vaishnava Sanskrit texts dedicated to worship of Narayana and form part of the Agamas.Unlike Vaikhanasa tradition, the Pancaratric tradition of Agamas prescribe image worship in the place of rituals like Yajnas, mentioned in the Vedas...
shastra
Shastra
' is a Sanskrit term used to denote rules in a general sense. The word is generally used as a suffix in the context of technical or specialized knowledge in a defined area of practice; e.g., Bhautika Shastra , Rasayana Shastra , Jeeva Shastra , Vastu Shastra , Shilpa Shastra , Artha Shastra ' is a...
.
Boat ride
Named Sanskruti Vihar, this ride takes visitors on a journey through 10,000 years of Indian history in approximately 12 minutes. Visitors sit in specially designed peacock shaped boats that make their way around an artificial river, passing through a model of TakshashilaTaxila
Taxila is a Tehsil in the Rawalpindi District of Punjab province of Pakistan. It is an important archaeological site.Taxila is situated about northwest of Islamabad Capital Territory and Rawalpindi in Panjab; just off the Grand Trunk Road...
, the world's first university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
, chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
laboratories, ancient hospitals, and bazaars, finally ending with a message expressing hope for the future of India.
Garden of India
Also known as the Bharat Upavan, this garden has lush manicured lawns, trees, and shrubs. The garden is lined with bronze sculptures of contributors to India's culture and history. These sculptures include children, women, national figures, freedom fighters, and warriors of India. Of these figures, the more notable figures include the national figures such as Mahatma GandhiMahatma Gandhi
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi , pronounced . 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948) was the pre-eminent political and ideological leader of India during the Indian independence movement...
.
Yogi Hraday Kamal
A sunken garden, shaped like a lotusNelumbo nucifera
Nelumbo nucifera, known by a number of names including Indian Lotus, Sacred Lotus, Bean of India, or simply Lotus, is a plant in the monogeneric family Nelumbonaceae...
when viewed from above, features large stones engraved with quotes from world luminaries ranging from Shakespeare and Martin Luther King to Swami Vivekananda
Swami Vivekananda
Swami Vivekananda , born Narendranath Dutta , was the chief disciple of the 19th century mystic Ramakrishna Paramahansa and the founder of the Ramakrishna Math and the Ramakrishna Mission...
and Swaminarayan.
Neelkanth Abishek
Devotees offer abhishekAbhisheka
Abhisheka is a Sanskrit term comparable to puja, yagya and arati that denotes: a devotional activity; an enacted prayer, rite of passage and/or religious rite or ritual...
, a ritual of pouring water on to the murti
Murti
In Hinduism, a murti , or murthi, or vigraha or pratima typically refers to an image which expresses a Divine Spirit . Meaning literally "embodiment", a murti is a representation of a divinity, made usually of stone, wood, or metal, which serves as a means through which a divinity may be worshiped...
of Neelkanth Varni, and express their reverence and prayers for spiritual upliftment and fulfillment of wishes.
Narayan Sarovar
The Narayan Sarovar is a lake that surrounds the main monument. The lake contains holy waters from 151 rivers and lakes that are believed to have been sanctified by Swaminarayan, including Mansarovar. Surrounding the Narayan Sarovar are 108 gaumukhs, symbolizing Janmangal NamavaliJanmangal Namavali
The Janmangal Namavali is the name given in Hinduism to the 108 names of God as composed by the Swaminarayan saint Shatanand Muni.- Origin :Bhagwan Swaminarayan, asked one of his disciples, Shatanand Muni to compose some verses , on chanting, would calm one's mind and protect devotees from evil...
or the 108 names for god, from which holy water issues forth.
Premvati Ahargruh
The Premati Ahargruh or the Premvati Food Court is a vegetarian restaurant modeled on the AjantaAjanta
The Ajanta Caves in Aurangabad district of Maharashtra, India are 29 rock-cut cave monuments which date from the 2nd century BCE. The caves include paintings and sculptures considered to be masterpieces of both Buddhist religious art as well as frescos which are reminiscent of the Sigiriya...
and Ellora caves in Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
, India and an Ayurvedic bazaar. The restaurant caters a variety of traditional dishes.
AARSH Centre
The Akshardham Centre for Applied Research in Social Harmony or the AARSH Centre is a centre within the complex that applies research of social harmony and related topics. Scholars and students may conduct practical research through AARSH. Researchers have the ability to carry out their research projects and affiliate their papers with AARSH. Studies on education, medicare, tribal and rural welfare, ecology, and culture are conducted within the centre.History and development
Planning
The building had been planned since 1968 as a vision of Yogiji Maharaj. Yogiji Maharaj, the spiritual head of the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha at the time, expressed his desire for wanting a grand temple built on the banks of the Yamuna river to two or three devotee families of Swaminarayan that resided in New Delhi at the time. Attempts were made to start the project, however little progress was made. In 1971, Yogiji Maharaj died.In 1982, Pramukh Swami Maharaj
Pramukh Swami Maharaj
Pramukh Swami Maharaj is the fifth spiritual successor of Bhagwan Swaminarayan in the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, a Hindu organization, and the current guru of the sect....
, Yogiji Maharaj's successor as the spiritual head of BAPS, started to continue fulfilling the dream of his guru Yogiji Maharaj and prompted devotees to look into the possibility of building the temple in Delhi. A request for the plan was put forward to the Delhi Development Authority
Delhi Development Authority
The Delhi Development Authority was created in 1955 under the provisions of the Delhi Development Act "to promote and secure the development of Delhi".-History:...
(DDA), and several different places were suggested, including Ghaziabad, Gurgaon
Gurgaon
Gurgaon is the second largest city in the Indian state of Haryana. Gurgaon is the industrial and financial center of Haryana. It is located 30 km south of national capital New Delhi, about 10 kilometers from Dwarka Sub City and 268 km south of Chandigarh, the state capital...
, and Faridabad
Faridabad
Faridabad is a city in the south-east of Haryana state in northern India, in Faridabad district. It lies at 28º 25' 16" N Latitude and 77º 18' 28" E Longitude. The district shares its boundaries with the National Capital and Union Territory of Delhi to its north, Gurgaon district to the west and...
. Pramukh Swami Maharaj stood firm in following the wishes of Yogiji Maharaj to build a temple on the Yamuna.
In April 2000, after 18 years, the Delhi Development Authority offered 60 acres (242,811.6 m²) of land, and the Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
Government offered 30 acres (121,405.8 m²) for the project. Upon receiving the land, Pramukh Swami Maharaj performed puja on the site for success in the project. Construction on the temple began on 8 November 2000 and Akshardham was officially opened on 6 November 2005, with the building being completed in two days short of five years.
Development
A team of eight sadhuSadhu
In Hinduism, sādhu denotes an ascetic, wandering monk. Although the vast majority of sādhus are yogīs, not all yogīs are sādhus. The sādhu is solely dedicated to achieving mokṣa , the fourth and final aśrama , through meditation and contemplation of brahman...
s were assigned to oversee the Akshardham project. The majority of the team had gained experience from work on the Akshardham
Akshardham (Gandhinagar)
Akshardham Gandhinagar is one of the largest temples in the Indian state of Gujarat. The temple complex combines devotions, art, architecture, education, exhibitions and research at one place...
in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. During development, Pramukh Swami Maharaj
Pramukh Swami Maharaj
Pramukh Swami Maharaj is the fifth spiritual successor of Bhagwan Swaminarayan in the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, a Hindu organization, and the current guru of the sect....
was consulted in many aspects of the monument's construction.
Around 1997 and 1998, the idea to start development on the temple, by beginning the stone carving, had been requested. However, this idea was denied by Pramukh Swami Maharaj who believed that the construction should only start after the land was acquired. The initial work done on the site was on the foundation. Due to the soft river bank, the site wasn't considered ideal for construction. As a result, a deep foundation was imperative. To construct a stable foundation, 15 feet (4.6 m) of rocks and sand were entwined with wire mesh and topped by five feet of concrete. Five million fired bricks raised the foundation another 21.5 feet (6.6 m). These bricks were then topped by three more feet of concrete to form the main support under the monument.
On 2 July 2001, the first sculpted stone was laid. The team of eight sadhus consisted of scholars in the field of the Pancharatra Shastra
Pañcaratra
Pāñcarātra are the Vaishnava Sanskrit texts dedicated to worship of Narayana and form part of the Agamas.Unlike Vaikhanasa tradition, the Pancaratric tradition of Agamas prescribe image worship in the place of rituals like Yajnas, mentioned in the Vedas...
, a Hindu scripture on architecture and deity carving. The sadhus watched over stone work as well as the research on carvings on Indian craftsmanship from between 8th and 12th century. This research was done at various sites such as Angkor Wat
Angkor Wat
Angkor Wat is a temple complex at Angkor, Cambodia, built for the king Suryavarman II in the early 12th century as his state temple and capital city. As the best-preserved temple at the site, it is the only one to have remained a significant religious centre since its foundation – first Hindu,...
, as well as Jodhpur
Jodhpur
Jodhpur , is the second largest city in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It is located west from the state capital, Jaipur and from the city of Ajmer. It was formerly the seat of a princely state of the same name, the capital of the kingdom known as Marwar...
, Jagannath Puri
Jagannath Temple (Puri)
The Jagannath Temple in Puri is a famous Hindu temple dedicated to Jagannath and located in the coastal town of Puri in the state of Orissa, India. The name Jagannath is a combination of the Sanskrit words Jagat and Nath...
, Konark
Konark
Konark is a small town in Puri district in the state of Orissa, India, on the Bay of Bengal, sixty-five kilometers from Bhubaneswar. It is the site of the 13th-century Sun Temple , built in black granite by King Narasimhadeva-I of the Eastern Ganga Dynasty. The temple is a World Heritage Site...
, and other temples in South India
South India
South India is the area encompassing India's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry, occupying 19.31% of India's area...
.
Seven thousand carvers and three thousand volunteers were put to work for the construction Akshardham. With over 6,000 tons of pink sandstone coming from Rajasthan
Rajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
, workshop sites were set up around places within the state. Amongst the carvers were local farmers and fifteen hundred tribal women who had suffered from a drought and received economic gain due to this work. The initial stone cutting was done by machine, while the detailed carvings were done by hand. Every night, over one hundred trucks were sent to Akshardham, where four thousand workers and volunteers operated on the construction site.
Opening Ceremony
Akshardham was consecrated on 6 November 2005 by Pramukh Swami MaharajPramukh Swami Maharaj
Pramukh Swami Maharaj is the fifth spiritual successor of Bhagwan Swaminarayan in the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, a Hindu organization, and the current guru of the sect....
and ceremoniously dedicated to the nation by the President of India
President of India
The President of India is the head of state and first citizen of India, as well as the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces. President of India is also the formal head of all the three branches of Indian Democracy - Legislature, Executive and Judiciary...
, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
Abdul Kalam
Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam usually referred to as A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, is a renowned aerospace engineer, professor , and first Chancellor of the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology Thiruvananthapuram , who served as the 11th President of India from 2002 to 2007...
,
the Prime Minister
Prime Minister of India
The Prime Minister of India , as addressed to in the Constitution of India — Prime Minister for the Union, is the chief of government, head of the Council of Ministers and the leader of the majority party in parliament...
, Manmohan Singh
Manmohan Singh
Manmohan Singh is the 13th and current Prime Minister of India. He is the only Prime Minister since Jawaharlal Nehru to return to power after completing a full five-year term. A Sikh, he is the first non-Hindu to occupy the office. Singh is also the 7th Prime Minister belonging to the Indian...
, and the Leader of the Opposition
Leader of the Opposition (India)
Each House of the Parliament of India has a Leader of the Opposition. While the position also existed in the former Central Legislative Assembly of British India, and holders of it there included Motilal Nehru, it got statutory recognition through the Salary and Allowances of Leaders of Opposition...
in the Indian Parliament, Lal Krishna Advani
Lal Krishna Advani
Lal Kishanchand Advani known as Lal Krishna Advani is a Veteran Indian politician. A former president of the Bharatiya Janata Party , which is currently the major opposition party in the Indian Parliament. He also served as a Deputy Prime Minister of India from 2002 to 2004...
, with the presence of 25,000 guests. After touring the central monument, President Kalam then gave a speech on where Akshardham fits with society, and finished by saying,
Prime Minister Singh followed by hoping that this would usher in religious tolerance and praised the architecture of the complex. He made note of it becoming a future landmark of India while L. K. Advani called it "the most unique monument of the world."
Pramukh Swami Maharaj ended the night's speeches and expressed the wish that, "In this Akshardham, may one and all find inspiration to mould their lives and may their lives become divine. Such is my prayer to god."
Garbhagruh fire and renovation
In June 2009, six murtiMurti
In Hinduism, a murti , or murthi, or vigraha or pratima typically refers to an image which expresses a Divine Spirit . Meaning literally "embodiment", a murti is a representation of a divinity, made usually of stone, wood, or metal, which serves as a means through which a divinity may be worshiped...
s, including the 11 feet (3.4 m) Swaminarayan murti, were damaged in a fire inside the monument. The six murtis had been placed on a wooden pedestal which was gutted by a fire caused by a short circuit
Short circuit
A short circuit in an electrical circuit that allows a current to travel along an unintended path, often where essentially no electrical impedance is encountered....
within the monument's cooling system. The murtis were damaged when the platform gave way.
On 13 July 2010, a newly designed garbhagruh, or inner sanctum, was inaugurated by Pramukh Swami Maharaj in the main monument within the Akshardham complex. The new garbhagruh includes a decorated, canopied sihasan, upon which the murti of Swaminarayan rests and features intricate carvings and gold-leafed designs. While the fire led to some of the renovations, the Akshardham monument currently features a state-of-the-art safety system that ranks amongst the best in Delhi.
Akshardham served as a featured attraction during the 2010 Commonwealth Games
2010 Commonwealth Games
The 2010 Commonwealth Games, officially known as the XIX Commonwealth Games, were held in Delhi, India, from 3 to 14 October 2010. A total of 6,081 athletes from 71 Commonwealth nations and dependencies competed in 21 sports and 272 events, making it the largest Commonwealth Games till date...
held in Delhi. Through the duration of the Games, hundreds of athletes, teams, and enthusiasts from around the world visited the complex. On 14 November 2010, the Swaminarayan Research Institute at Akshardham was inaugurated through an event organized by the women’s faction of the organization, highlighting the value of seva
Seva
Seva may refer to:*Volunteer work; selfless service; work offered to God *Seva , in Indian cuisine, a snack food made by deep-frying strands of chick pea flour dough flavored with chili powder, salt, and sometimes coriander...
, or socially beneficial volunteer efforts, in society through mandirs, churches, mosques, and other places of worship. Anju Bhargava
Anju Bhargava
Anju Bhargava is a member of President Barack Obama's Advisory Council on Faith Based and Neighborhood partnership. She is also Principal Director at Global Synergy Associates working at the intersection of Enterprise Risk Management, Business Transformation and Organization Management through a...
, the founder of the Hindu American Seva Charities and advisor to President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
on faith-based issues, delivered the keynote address, which emphasized the need for seva in society and the vital role of spirituality in one’s life.
Guinness World Record
Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records , is a reference book published annually, containing a collection of world records, both human achievements and the extremes of the natural world...
, traveled to Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad also known as Karnavati is the largest city in Gujarat, India. It is the former capital of Gujarat and is also the judicial capital of Gujarat as the Gujarat High Court has its seat in Ahmedabad...
, India to present a new world record to Pramukh Swami Maharaj
Pramukh Swami Maharaj
Pramukh Swami Maharaj is the fifth spiritual successor of Bhagwan Swaminarayan in the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, a Hindu organization, and the current guru of the sect....
, the spiritual leader of BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, for the Akshardham complex.
The record was presented for Akshardham as the World’s Largest Comprehensive Hindu Temple (certificate).
The certificate states,
Upon presentation of the award, Michael Whitty stated, "It took us three months of research, poring over the extensive architectural plans of the Akshardham and also those of other temples of comparable size, visiting and inspecting the site, before we were convinced that Akshardham deserved the title..."
Disputes
Three temples, the Meenakshi Amman TempleMeenakshi Amman Temple
Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple or Meenakshi Amman Temple or Tiru-alavai is a historic Hindu temple located in the south side of river Vaigai in the temple city of Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India...
in Madurai
Madurai
Madurai is the third largest city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. It served as the capital city of the Pandyan Kingdom. It is the administrative headquarters of Madurai District and is famous for its temples built by Pandyan and...
, the Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple in Srirangam
Srirangam
Srirangam , Old name is Vellithirumutha gramam and Tamil name is Thiruvarangam , is an island and a part of the city of Tiruchirapalli , in South India....
, and the Annamalaiyar Temple
Annamalaiyar Temple
Annamalaiyar Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to the Hindu deity Shiva, located at the foothills of the Annamalai Hill in the town of Thiruvannamalai in Tamil Nadu, India. Shiva is worshipped as Annamalaiyar or Arunachaleswarar represented by lingam, withhis consort, Unnamalaiyaal...
in Thiruvannamalai, all located in Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
, India, are claimed to be larger than Akshardham. The trustees of these temples have reportedly disputed the Guinness World Record.
The Meenakshi temple in Madurai has the length of 850 feet (259.1 m) and width of 800 feet (243.8 m). The entire area of this temple is 17 acre (0.06879662 km²), while the Sri Ranganathaswamy temple in Srirangam covers 156 acre (0.63131016 km²) and the Arunachaleswarar Temple in Thiruvannamalai is 24 acre (0.09712464 km²). Authorities at the Meenakshi temple have argued that temples are places for worship and therefore additional features and exhibitions are not components of a temple. They have also argued that construction area of the actual temple is more important than the land area.
Akshardham Gandhinagar
Akshardham Gandhinagar in Gandhinagar, Gujarat is the sister complex of Delhi Akshardham. The monument in Gandhinagar was also constructed by BAPS. Opened in 1992 amid fanfare, Akshardham Gandhinagar comprises a monument, exhibition halls, a vast colonnade, contemplative gardens, and a restaurant, much like the monument in New Delhi. The architecture and carvings of the monument in Delhi resemble those of the monument in Gandhinagar.Akshardham Gandhinagar has attracted millions of visitors from across the world, including Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
who commented, "Akshardham is not only a unique place in India but in the whole world. It is even more beautiful than what I had imagined. Taj Mahal
Taj Mahal
The Taj Mahal is a white Marble mausoleum located in Agra, India. It was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal...
is definitely beautiful, but this place, along with beauty, has a beautiful message."
External links
Akshardham Information- Official Akshardham Delhi Website
- Akshardham Temple Complex on the Incredible India website
- Akshardham Temple on the Delhi Tourism website
Other
- Guinness World Records - Adjudications - World's Largest Hindu Temple
- BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha- The organization responsible for the creation of Akshardham
- Mystic India- The film shown at Akshardham
- Tourist Attractions in Akshardham Temple
- Akshardham Gandhinagar Website