Akshardham means the divine abode of God. It is hailed as an eternal place of devotion, purity and peace. Swaminarayan Akshardham at New Delhi is a Mandir – an abode of God, a Hindu house of worship, and a spiritual and cultural campus dedicated to devotion, learning and harmony. Timeless Hindu spiritual messages, vibrant devotional traditions and ancient architecture all are echoed in its art and architecture.
Each element of Akshardham echoes with spirituality – the Mandir, the Exhibitions and even the Gardens.
AKSHARDHAM: HISTORY
The temple was opened on opened 6th November 2005. It was constructed by Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS). Inspired by HH Yogiji Maharaj (1892-1971 CE) the structure of this mammoth temple is a distinguishing feature of Delhi. Created by His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj, over 8,000 volunteers from across the world participated in building it. More than 300,000,000 volunteer hours went into making the complex.
AKSHARDHAM: ARCHITECTURE
The mandir is built from intricately carved sandstone and marble. Exhibitions on Hinduism, including Bhagwan Swaminarayan’s life and teachings such as prayer, compassion, and non-violence are the vital aspect of this temple. Open gardens, water bodies and step-well styled courtyards are also present. They add to the beauty and structure of the temple. The Akshardham mandir has over two hundred murtis, representing many of the spiritual stalwarts over many millennia.
AKSHARDHAM : THE SPIRITUAL ELEMENT
The spiritual premise of Akshardham is that each soul is potentially divine. Whether we are serving the family, the country our neighbors or all living beings the world over , each service can help one move towards divinity. Each prayer is a call towards improving oneself and moving closer to God.
A visit to Akshardham is a spiritually enriching experience. Whether it is in realising the power of prayer, in feeling the strength of non-violence, in being aware of the universal nature of Hinduism’s ancient principles, or just in admiring the beauty of God’s abode on Earth –- each element has a spiritual significance.
AKSHARDHAM: A MUST VISIT
At the heart of the complex is its predecessor, the Swaminarayan Akshardham Temple in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. There are several exhibition halls, audio-visual displays and boat trips that give you a glimpse into the life and times of Swami Narayan. The complex has three exhibition halls: IMAX movie Neil Kansdarshan, Abiche Kumandap, Water Show, Theme Garden and Cultural Boat Ride.
AKSHARDHAM: ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
- Location: On NH 24, Akshardham Setu
- Address: NH 24, Akshardham Setu, New Delhi 11009
- Entry Fee – Free
- Rs. 170 per person for adults (Exhibition)
- Rs. 100 per person for children (Exhibition)
- Rs. 125 per person for senior citizens (Exhibition)
- Rs. 80 per person for adults (Musical Fountain)
- Rs. 50 per person for children (Musical Fountain)
- Rs. 80 per person for senior citizens (Musical Fountain)
- There are no special provisions for online puja bookings at Akshardham, but all followers are provided with free Darshan.
- Indira Gandhi International Airport is the closest airport to the temple grounds, about 21 km away. New Delhi Railway Station is the closest railway station to the temple at a distance of 11.5 km.
- The closest subway station to Akshardham Temple is the Akshardmandir subway station itself. The station runs along the blue line. Disembark at the yellow line and transfer to the blue line of Rajiv Chowk.
- Dress Code : Upper Wear: Must cover the shoulders, chest, navel, and upper arms, Lower Wear: Must be at least below knee-length.
- Visiting Akshardham Temple is therefore nothing but an experience of being near God, and lately there has been a wave of lack of spiritualism in the world, especially in the young generation. They have actually given up on the concept of ‘God’ and that is pitiful. In this time of hustling, we need to keep our spiritualism intact by balancing ‘postmodernism, nihilism, postfordism, existentialism and realism’ with ‘faith, belief and compassion’.
