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Swaminarayan Akshardham (Delhi)

May 07, 2024

Swaminarayan Akshardham is a Hindu temple and spiritual-cultural campus in Delhi, India. The temple is close to the border with Noida. Also referred to as Akshardham Temple or Akshardham Delhi, the complex displays millennia of traditional and modern Hindu culture, spirituality, and architecture. Inspired by Yogiji Maharaj and created by Pramukh Swami Maharaj, it was constructed by BAPS.[1] It is the world's second-largest BAPS Hindu temple, following Akshardham, New Jersey, in the U.S.

Swaminarayan Akshardham
स्वामीनारायण अक्षरधाम
Swaminarayan Akshardham in Delhi, India
Religion
AffiliationHinduism
DistrictEast Delhi
DeitySwaminarayan, Sita-Rama, Radha-Krishna, Shiva-Parvati and Lakshmi-Narayana
Governing bodyBochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha
StatusActive
Location
LocationPandav Nagar
StateDelhi
CountryIndia
Location in Delhi
Geographic coordinates28°36′45″N 77°16′38″E / 28.61250°N 77.27722°E / 28.61250; 77.27722
Architecture
Architect(s)Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha
CreatorVirendra Trivedi
Pramukh Swami Maharaj
Completed6 November 2005 (consecration)
Specifications
Length109 m (356 ft)
Width96 m (316 ft)
Height (max)43 m (141 ft)
Site area8,021.4 sq. m (86,342 sq. ft)
Monument(s)Over 20,000
Website
akshardham.com

The temple was officially opened on 6 November 2005 by Pramukh Swami Maharaj in the presence of A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, Manmohan Singh, L.K Advani and B.L Joshi.[2][3] The temple, at the centre of the complex, was built according to the Vastu shastra and Pancharatra shastra.

In Swaminarayan Akshardham, similar to its predecessor Swaminarayan Akshardham in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, the main shrine is the focal point and maintains the central position of the entire complex. There are various exhibition halls which provide information about the life and work of Swaminarayan. The designers of the complex have adopted contemporary modes of communication and technology to create the various exhibition halls.[4]

The complex features an abhishek mandap, Sahaj Anand water show, a thematic garden, and three exhibitions namely Sahajanand Darshan (Hall of Values), Neelkanth Darshan (an IMAX film on the early life of Swaminarayan as the teenage yogi, Nilkanth), and Sanskruti Darshan (cultural boat ride). According to Swaminarayan Hinduism, the word Akshardham means the abode of Swaminarayan and believed by followers as a temporal home of God on earth.[5][6]

Features

Akshardham Mandir

The main attraction of the Swaminarayan Akshardham complex is the Akshardham Mandir. It rises 43-metre (141 ft) high, spans 96-metre (316 ft) wide, and extends 109-metre (356 ft) long.[7] It is intricately carved with flora, fauna, dancers, musicians, and deities.[citation needed] It is located on the banks of the Yamuna River.[8]

The Akshardham Mandir was designed by BAPS Swamis and Virendra Trivedi, a member of the Sompura family.[9][10][11] It is entirely constructed from Rajasthani pink sandstone and Italian Carrara marble. Based on traditional Hindu architectural guidelines (Shilpa shastras) on maximum temple life span, it makes no use of ferrous metal. Thus, it has no support from steel or concrete.[12] The architecture is inspired by the Māru-Gurjara architecture style.[13]

The mandir also consists of 234 ornately carved pillars, nine domes, and 20,000 murtis of swamis, devotees, and acharyas.[14] The mandir 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 life sized elephants in total weighing a total of 3000 tons.[15]

Under the temple's central dome lies the 3.4 metres (11 ft) high murti of Swaminarayan seated in abhayamudra to whom the temple is dedicated. Swaminarayan is surrounded by images of the faith's lineage of Gurus depicted either in a devotional posture or in a posture of service.[16] Each murti is made of the pañcadhātu, or the five metals in accordance to Hindu tradition. The temple also houses the murtis of Sita-Rama, Radha-Krishna, Shiva-Parvati, and Lakshmi-Narayana.[16]

 
The temple's central dome

Exhibits

Sahajanand Darshan [Hall of Values]

The Hall of Values features lifelike robotics 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. Set in 18th century India, the audience experiences eternal messages gleaned from ancient Hindu culture such as non‐violence, vegetarianism, perseverance, prayers, morality, and family harmony through 15 3-dimensional dioramas which make use of state of the art robotics, fibre optics, light and sound effects, dialogues, and music.[17][18] The hall also features the world's smallest animatronic robot in the form of Ghanshyam Maharaj, the child form of Swaminarayan.[19]

Nilkanth Darshan [Theatre]

The theatre houses Delhi's first and only large format screen, measuring 26-metre (85 ft) by 20-metre (65 ft). The theatre shows a 40-minute 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 India, an international version of the film produced by BAPS Charities, was released in 2005 at IMAX theatres and giant screen cinemas worldwide.[20] A 8.2-metre (27 ft) tall bronze murti of Nilkanth Varni is located outside the theatre.[21]

Sanskruti Vihar [Boat Ride]

The Boat Ride is a 12-minute journey through 10,000 years glorious heritage, using life size figures and robotics to depict life in Vedic India, from family life to bazaars and teaching.[22][23] It also shows the contributions of Vedic Indians to various fields such as science, astronomy, arts, literature, yoga, mathematics, etc. by eminent persons like mathematician-astronomers Aryabhata and Brahmagupta, grammarian Pāṇini, contributors to the ancient art and science of Ayurveda like Sushruta and Charaka, Classical Sanskrit writer Kālidāsa, philosopher, economist and royal advisor Chanakya, among others. It shows the world's first university, Takshashila and the subjects taught there such as horse riding and warfare. It moves on to the Middle Ages to Sufi saints like Kabir and saints from the Bhakti movement such as Meera and Ramananda and then to recent times highlighting the contributions of modern Indian mathematicians such as Jagadish Chandra Bose, Srinivasa Ramanujan, C. V. Raman and Satyendra Nath Bose and philosophers like Swami Vivekananda.[citation needed]

 
The musical fountain and the statue of Neelkanth Varni in its background

Musical fountain

The Musical fountain, also known as the Yagnapurush Kund, is India's largest stepwell.[citation needed] 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 named Sahaj Anand - Multi-Media Water Show is shown. Sahaj Anand Water Show is a 24-minute presentation which unites a variety of media to bring to life a story from the Kena Upanishad. Multi-color lasers, video projections, underwater flames, water jets and surround sound in symphony with lights and live actors produce a presentation. International experts contributed their expertise with BAPS volunteers and swamis to produce this presentation.[24][25] The fountain is named after the founder of the Hindu organization BAPS, Shastriji Maharaj.[26] The fountain measures 91 metres (300 ft) by 91 metres (300 ft) with 2,870 steps and 108 small shrines. In its centre lies an eight-petaled lotus-shaped yagna kund designed according to the Jayaakhya Samhita of the Pancharatra shastra.[citation needed]

Gardens

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, including notable figures such as Mahatma Gandhi.[27]

Yogi Hraday Kamal

A sunken gardinene, shaped like a lotus when viewed from above, features large stones engraved with quotes from world luminaries ranging from Shakespeare and Martin Luther King Jr. to Swami Vivekananda and Swaminarayan.[27]

 
The Yogi Hraday Kamal, a lotus shaped sunken garden

Additional features

Nilkanth Abhishek

Devotees offer abhisheka, a ritual of pouring water on to the murti of Nilkanth Varni, and express their reverence and prayers for spiritual upliftment and fulfilment of wishes.[28]

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, symbolising Janmangal Namavali or the 108 names for god, from which holy water issues forth.[29][30]

Premvati Ahargruh

The Premvati Ahargruh/the Premvati Food Court is a vegetarian restaurant modelled on the Ajanta and Ellora caves in Maharashtra, India and an Ayurvedic bazaar. The restaurant caters a variety of traditional dishes.[31]

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.[32][33]

Access

The complex is accessible by Delhi Metro. The Akshardham Metro Station is proximate to the complex.[34]

Planning and development

 
The Akshardham complex in Delhi

Planning

The building had been planned since 1968 as a vision of Yogiji Maharaj.[35] 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.[36] Attempts were made to start the project, however little progress was made. In 1971, Yogiji Maharaj died.

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 24 hectares (60 acres) of land, and the Uttar Pradesh Government offered 12 hectares (30 acres) for the project.[37] 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.[38]

Environmental clearance

An amendment to the Government of India's Environment Impact Assessment Notification of 1994 was made in 2004, which required that environmental clearance be granted to any parcel of land that falls under the Yamuna floodplain before beginning any construction activities.[39] Since Akshardham commenced construction activities in 2000, prior to the enactment of this amendment, it did not apply to Akshardham.[38] However certain NGOs and activists felt that the temple was constructed without obtaining the necessary environmental clearances.[40] In January 2005, the U.P. Employees Federation presented their case before the Supreme Court of India that the temple had not obtained necessary environmental clearances and that it would be harmful to the environment. After hearing the case, the Supreme Court observed that in the construction of Akshardham, all the Land Use Plans had been adhered to and clearance of expert bodies like the Central Water Commission and the National Environment Engineering Research Institute has been obtained. Thus, the Supreme Court ruled that the Akshardham construction was lawful and did not violate environmental norms.[41][42] Despite this ruling, some activists and politicians continued to assert that the Akshardham construction was illegal and posed a threat to the Yamuna River floodplains.[43][44] In a 2009 ruling on a related issue, the Supreme Court further clarified that it rejected as false the assertions that Akshardham did not have environmental permissions and was harmful to the Yamuna riverbed. It reiterated its earlier 2005 Ruling that Akshardham had received all necessary environmental permissions from Central Water Commission and NEERI, which is an autonomous body, and that the Akshardham site was not located on the Yamuna "riverbed" or "floodplain", but 1700 meters away from the Yamuna River bank.[45][46]

Development

A team of eight swamis were assigned to oversee the Akshardham project.[36] The majority of the team had gained experience from work on the Akshardham in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, Delhi Akshardham's sister complex.[47] During development, Pramukh Swami Maharaj was consulted in many aspects of the monument's construction.[36]

 
Construction on the Akshardham complex

Around 1997 and 1998, the idea to start development on the temple, by beginning the stone carving, had been requested. However, Pramukh Swami Maharaj asserted that the construction should only start after the land was acquired. The initial work done on the site was on the foundation. Initially, the site wasn't considered ideal for construction. As a result, a deep foundation was imperative. To construct a stable foundation, 4.6-metre (15 ft) of rocks and sand were entwined with wire mesh and topped by 1.5 metres (5 ft) of concrete. Five million fired bricks raised the foundation another 6.6-metre (21.5 ft). These bricks were then topped by 0.91 metres (3 ft) of concrete to form the main support under the monument.[36]

On 2 July 2001, the first sculpted stone was laid.[48] The team of eight swamis consisted of scholars in the field of the Pancharatra Shastra, a Hindu scripture on architecture and deity carving. The swamis watched over stonework as well as the research on carvings on Indian craftsmanship from between the eighth and twelfth centuries. This research was done at various sites such as Angkor Wat, as well as Jodhpur, Jagannath Puri, Konark & temples of Bhubaneswar of Odisha and other temples in South India.[36]

Seven thousand carvers and three thousand volunteers were put to work for the construction Akshardham.[36] With over 6,000 tons of pink sandstone coming from Rajasthan, workshop sites were set up around places within the state.[49] 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.[36]

Opening ceremony

Akshardham was consecrated on 6 November 2005 by Pramukh Swami Maharaj[50] and ceremoniously dedicated to the nation by the President of India, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam,[51] 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.[36][52] After touring the central monument, president Kalam then gave a speech on where Akshardham fits within the society, and finished by saying,

"Pramukh Swamiji Maharaj has inspired thousands of people across the country and abroad and brought together the best of the minds for creating a beautiful cultural complex. It has become a place of education, experience and enlightenment. It creatively blends the traditional stone art and architecture, Indian culture and civilisation, ancient values and wisdom and the best of modern media and technology. Multiple layers of this complex express the strength of the mind, willpower of the human being, indomitable spirit, flowering kindness, fusion of scientific and medical talent, myriad colors of varied cultures and ultimately the power of knowledge. In essence, it is a dynamic complex with lively images.  ... Akshardham has happened at the dawn of the 21st century with the commitment and dedication of one million volunteers. What has happened today at Akshardham inspires me and gives me the confidence that we can do it? The realisation of developed India is certainly possible before 2020 with the millions of ignited minds like you."[53]

Prime Minister Singh followed by hoping that this would usher in religious tolerance and praised the architecture of the complex.[36] He made note of it becoming a future landmark of India[52] while L. K. Advani called it "the most unique monument of the world."[36] 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."[54]

Garbhagriha renovation and other events

On 13 July 2010, a newly designed garbhagriha, or inner sanctum, was inaugurated by Pramukh Swami Maharaj in the main monument within the Akshardham complex. The new garbhagriha includes a decorated, canopied sihasan, upon which the murti of Swaminarayan rests and features intricate carvings and gold-leafed designs.[55]

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.[56] On 14 November 2010, the Swaminarayan Research Institute at Akshardham was inaugurated through an event organised by the women's faction of the organisation, highlighting the value of seva, or socially beneficial volunteer efforts, in society through mandirs, churches, mosques, and other places of worship.[57]

Guinness World Record

On 17 December 2007, Michael Whitty, an official world record adjudicator for Guinness World Record, travelled to Ahmedabad, India to present a new world record to Pramukh Swami Maharaj, the spiritual leader of BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, for the Akshardham complex.[58]

The record was presented for Akshardham as the World's Largest Comprehensive Hindu Temple at that time (certificate).[59][60]

The certificate states,

"BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham in New Delhi, India, is the world's largest comprehensive Hindu temple. It measures 109 m (356 ft). long, 316 ft (96 m). wide and 43 m (141 ft). high, covering an area of 8,021.4 m2 (86,342 sq ft). The grand, ancient-style, ornately hand-carved stone temple has been built without structural steel within five years by 11,000 artisans and volunteers. Pramukh Swami, revered spiritual leader of BAPS, consecrated the temple on 6 November 2005. Akshardham showcases the essence of India's ageless art, borderless culture and timeless values.[61]

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..."[62]

However, there are now several temples, topped by Angkor Wat in Cambodia; Akshardham, New Jersey in the U.S.; and the Ranganathaswamy Temple in Srirangam, Tamil Nadu, India - which claim to be larger than Akshardham Delhi. The trustees of the Srirangam Temple have reportedly disputed the Guinness World Record.[63]

See also

References

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External links

Akshardham Information
  • Official Akshardham Delhi Website
  • Panoramic Virtual Tour of Akshardham
Other
  • Guinness World Records – Adjudications – World's Largest Hindu Temple
  • BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha- The organisation responsible for the creation of Akshardham
  • Mystic India- The film shown at Akshardham
  • Akshardham Gandhinagar Website
  •   Geographic data related to Swaminarayan Akshardham (Delhi) at OpenStreetMap

May 07, 2024
swaminarayan, akshardham, delhi, swaminarayan, akshardham, hindu, temple, spiritual, cultural, campus, delhi, india, temple, close, border, with, noida, also, referred, akshardham, temple, akshardham, delhi, complex, displays, millennia, traditional, modern, h. Swaminarayan Akshardham is a Hindu temple and spiritual cultural campus in Delhi India The temple is close to the border with Noida Also referred to as Akshardham Temple or Akshardham Delhi the complex displays millennia of traditional and modern Hindu culture spirituality and architecture Inspired by Yogiji Maharaj and created by Pramukh Swami Maharaj it was constructed by BAPS 1 It is the world s second largest BAPS Hindu temple following Akshardham New Jersey in the U S Swaminarayan Akshardhamस व म न र यण अक षरध मSwaminarayan Akshardham in Delhi IndiaReligionAffiliationHinduismDistrictEast DelhiDeitySwaminarayan Sita Rama Radha Krishna Shiva Parvati and Lakshmi NarayanaGoverning bodyBochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan SansthaStatusActiveLocationLocationPandav NagarStateDelhiCountryIndiaLocation in DelhiGeographic coordinates28 36 45 N 77 16 38 E 28 61250 N 77 27722 E 28 61250 77 27722ArchitectureArchitect s Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan SansthaCreatorVirendra TrivediPramukh Swami MaharajCompleted6 November 2005 consecration SpecificationsLength109 m 356 ft Width96 m 316 ft Height max 43 m 141 ft Site area8 021 4 sq m 86 342 sq ft Monument s Over 20 000Websiteakshardham com The temple was officially opened on 6 November 2005 by Pramukh Swami Maharaj in the presence of A P J Abdul Kalam Manmohan Singh L K Advani and B L Joshi 2 3 The temple at the centre of the complex was built according to the Vastu shastra and Pancharatra shastra In Swaminarayan Akshardham similar to its predecessor Swaminarayan Akshardham in Gandhinagar Gujarat the main shrine is the focal point and maintains the central position of the entire complex There are various exhibition halls which provide information about the life and work of Swaminarayan The designers of the complex have adopted contemporary modes of communication and technology to create the various exhibition halls 4 The complex features an abhishek mandap Sahaj Anand water show a thematic garden and three exhibitions namely Sahajanand Darshan Hall of Values Neelkanth Darshan an IMAX film on the early life of Swaminarayan as the teenage yogi Nilkanth and Sanskruti Darshan cultural boat ride According to Swaminarayan Hinduism the word Akshardham means the abode of Swaminarayan and believed by followers as a temporal home of God on earth 5 6 Contents 1 Features 1 1 Akshardham Mandir 1 2 Exhibits 1 2 1 Sahajanand Darshan Hall of Values 1 2 2 Nilkanth Darshan Theatre 1 2 3 Sanskruti Vihar Boat Ride 1 2 4 Musical fountain 1 3 Gardens 1 3 1 Garden of India 1 3 2 Yogi Hraday Kamal 1 4 Additional features 1 4 1 Nilkanth Abhishek 1 4 2 Narayan Sarovar 1 4 3 Premvati Ahargruh 1 4 4 AARSH Centre 1 5 Access 2 Planning and development 2 1 Planning 2 2 Environmental clearance 2 3 Development 2 4 Opening ceremony 2 5 Garbhagriha renovation and other events 3 Guinness World Record 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksFeaturesAkshardham Mandir The main attraction of the Swaminarayan Akshardham complex is the Akshardham Mandir It rises 43 metre 141 ft high spans 96 metre 316 ft wide and extends 109 metre 356 ft long 7 It is intricately carved with flora fauna dancers musicians and deities citation needed It is located on the banks of the Yamuna River 8 The Akshardham Mandir was designed by BAPS Swamis and Virendra Trivedi a member of the Sompura family 9 10 11 It is entirely constructed from Rajasthani pink sandstone and Italian Carrara marble Based on traditional Hindu architectural guidelines Shilpa shastras on maximum temple life span it makes no use of ferrous metal Thus it has no support from steel or concrete 12 The architecture is inspired by the Maru Gurjara architecture style 13 The mandir also consists of 234 ornately carved pillars nine domes and 20 000 murtis of swamis devotees and acharyas 14 The mandir 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 life sized elephants in total weighing a total of 3000 tons 15 Under the temple s central dome lies the 3 4 metres 11 ft high murti of Swaminarayan seated in abhayamudra to whom the temple is dedicated Swaminarayan is surrounded by images of the faith s lineage of Gurus depicted either in a devotional posture or in a posture of service 16 Each murti is made of the pancadhatu or the five metals in accordance to Hindu tradition The temple also houses the murtis of Sita Rama Radha Krishna Shiva Parvati and Lakshmi Narayana 16 nbsp The temple s central dome Exhibits Sahajanand Darshan Hall of Values The Hall of Values features lifelike robotics 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 Set in 18th century India the audience experiences eternal messages gleaned from ancient Hindu culture such as non violence vegetarianism perseverance prayers morality and family harmony through 15 3 dimensional dioramas which make use of state of the art robotics fibre optics light and sound effects dialogues and music 17 18 The hall also features the world s smallest animatronic robot in the form of Ghanshyam Maharaj the child form of Swaminarayan 19 Nilkanth Darshan Theatre The theatre houses Delhi s first and only large format screen measuring 26 metre 85 ft by 20 metre 65 ft The theatre shows a 40 minute 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 India an international version of the film produced by BAPS Charities was released in 2005 at IMAX theatres and giant screen cinemas worldwide 20 A 8 2 metre 27 ft tall bronze murti of Nilkanth Varni is located outside the theatre 21 Sanskruti Vihar Boat Ride The Boat Ride is a 12 minute journey through 10 000 years glorious heritage using life size figures and robotics to depict life in Vedic India from family life to bazaars and teaching 22 23 It also shows the contributions of Vedic Indians to various fields such as science astronomy arts literature yoga mathematics etc by eminent persons like mathematician astronomers Aryabhata and Brahmagupta grammarian Paṇini contributors to the ancient art and science of Ayurveda like Sushruta and Charaka Classical Sanskrit writer Kalidasa philosopher economist and royal advisor Chanakya among others It shows the world s first university Takshashila and the subjects taught there such as horse riding and warfare It moves on to the Middle Ages to Sufi saints like Kabir and saints from the Bhakti movement such as Meera and Ramananda and then to recent times highlighting the contributions of modern Indian mathematicians such as Jagadish Chandra Bose Srinivasa Ramanujan C V Raman and Satyendra Nath Bose and philosophers like Swami Vivekananda citation needed nbsp The musical fountain and the statue of Neelkanth Varni in its background Musical fountain The Musical fountain also known as the Yagnapurush Kund is India s largest stepwell citation needed 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 named Sahaj Anand Multi Media Water Show is shown Sahaj Anand Water Show is a 24 minute presentation which unites a variety of media to bring to life a story from the Kena Upanishad Multi color lasers video projections underwater flames water jets and surround sound in symphony with lights and live actors produce a presentation International experts contributed their expertise with BAPS volunteers and swamis to produce this presentation 24 25 The fountain is named after the founder of the Hindu organization BAPS Shastriji Maharaj 26 The fountain measures 91 metres 300 ft by 91 metres 300 ft with 2 870 steps and 108 small shrines In its centre lies an eight petaled lotus shaped yagna kund designed according to the Jayaakhya Samhita of the Pancharatra shastra citation needed Gardens 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 including notable figures such as Mahatma Gandhi 27 Yogi Hraday KamalA sunken gardinene shaped like a lotus when viewed from above features large stones engraved with quotes from world luminaries ranging from Shakespeare and Martin Luther King Jr to Swami Vivekananda and Swaminarayan 27 nbsp The Yogi Hraday Kamal a lotus shaped sunken garden Additional features Nilkanth Abhishek Devotees offer abhisheka a ritual of pouring water on to the murti of Nilkanth Varni and express their reverence and prayers for spiritual upliftment and fulfilment of wishes 28 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 symbolising Janmangal Namavali or the 108 names for god from which holy water issues forth 29 30 Premvati Ahargruh The Premvati Ahargruh the Premvati Food Court is a vegetarian restaurant modelled on the Ajanta and Ellora caves in Maharashtra India and an Ayurvedic bazaar The restaurant caters a variety of traditional dishes 31 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 32 33 Access The complex is accessible by Delhi Metro The Akshardham Metro Station is proximate to the complex 34 Planning and development nbsp The Akshardham complex in Delhi Planning The building had been planned since 1968 as a vision of Yogiji Maharaj 35 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 36 Attempts were made to start the project however little progress was made In 1971 Yogiji Maharaj died 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 24 hectares 60 acres of land and the Uttar Pradesh Government offered 12 hectares 30 acres for the project 37 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 38 Environmental clearance An amendment to the Government of India s Environment Impact Assessment Notification of 1994 was made in 2004 which required that environmental clearance be granted to any parcel of land that falls under the Yamuna floodplain before beginning any construction activities 39 Since Akshardham commenced construction activities in 2000 prior to the enactment of this amendment it did not apply to Akshardham 38 However certain NGOs and activists felt that the temple was constructed without obtaining the necessary environmental clearances 40 In January 2005 the U P Employees Federation presented their case before the Supreme Court of India that the temple had not obtained necessary environmental clearances and that it would be harmful to the environment After hearing the case the Supreme Court observed that in the construction of Akshardham all the Land Use Plans had been adhered to and clearance of expert bodies like the Central Water Commission and the National Environment Engineering Research Institute has been obtained Thus the Supreme Court ruled that the Akshardham construction was lawful and did not violate environmental norms 41 42 Despite this ruling some activists and politicians continued to assert that the Akshardham construction was illegal and posed a threat to the Yamuna River floodplains 43 44 In a 2009 ruling on a related issue the Supreme Court further clarified that it rejected as false the assertions that Akshardham did not have environmental permissions and was harmful to the Yamuna riverbed It reiterated its earlier 2005 Ruling that Akshardham had received all necessary environmental permissions from Central Water Commission and NEERI which is an autonomous body and that the Akshardham site was not located on the Yamuna riverbed or floodplain but 1700 meters away from the Yamuna River bank 45 46 Development A team of eight swamis were assigned to oversee the Akshardham project 36 The majority of the team had gained experience from work on the Akshardham in Gandhinagar Gujarat Delhi Akshardham s sister complex 47 During development Pramukh Swami Maharaj was consulted in many aspects of the monument s construction 36 nbsp Construction on the Akshardham complex Around 1997 and 1998 the idea to start development on the temple by beginning the stone carving had been requested However Pramukh Swami Maharaj asserted that the construction should only start after the land was acquired The initial work done on the site was on the foundation Initially the site wasn t considered ideal for construction As a result a deep foundation was imperative To construct a stable foundation 4 6 metre 15 ft of rocks and sand were entwined with wire mesh and topped by 1 5 metres 5 ft of concrete Five million fired bricks raised the foundation another 6 6 metre 21 5 ft These bricks were then topped by 0 91 metres 3 ft of concrete to form the main support under the monument 36 On 2 July 2001 the first sculpted stone was laid 48 The team of eight swamis consisted of scholars in the field of the Pancharatra Shastra a Hindu scripture on architecture and deity carving The swamis watched over stonework as well as the research on carvings on Indian craftsmanship from between the eighth and twelfth centuries This research was done at various sites such as Angkor Wat as well as Jodhpur Jagannath Puri Konark amp temples of Bhubaneswar of Odisha and other temples in South India 36 Seven thousand carvers and three thousand volunteers were put to work for the construction Akshardham 36 With over 6 000 tons of pink sandstone coming from Rajasthan workshop sites were set up around places within the state 49 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 36 Opening ceremony Akshardham was consecrated on 6 November 2005 by Pramukh Swami Maharaj 50 and ceremoniously dedicated to the nation by the President of India A P J Abdul Kalam 51 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 36 52 After touring the central monument president Kalam then gave a speech on where Akshardham fits within the society and finished by saying Pramukh Swamiji Maharaj has inspired thousands of people across the country and abroad and brought together the best of the minds for creating a beautiful cultural complex It has become a place of education experience and enlightenment It creatively blends the traditional stone art and architecture Indian culture and civilisation ancient values and wisdom and the best of modern media and technology Multiple layers of this complex express the strength of the mind willpower of the human being indomitable spirit flowering kindness fusion of scientific and medical talent myriad colors of varied cultures and ultimately the power of knowledge In essence it is a dynamic complex with lively images Akshardham has happened at the dawn of the 21st century with the commitment and dedication of one million volunteers What has happened today at Akshardham inspires me and gives me the confidence that we can do it The realisation of developed India is certainly possible before 2020 with the millions of ignited minds like you 53 Prime Minister Singh followed by hoping that this would usher in religious tolerance and praised the architecture of the complex 36 He made note of it becoming a future landmark of India 52 while L K Advani called it the most unique monument of the world 36 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 54 Garbhagriha renovation and other events On 13 July 2010 a newly designed garbhagriha or inner sanctum was inaugurated by Pramukh Swami Maharaj in the main monument within the Akshardham complex The new garbhagriha includes a decorated canopied sihasan upon which the murti of Swaminarayan rests and features intricate carvings and gold leafed designs 55 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 56 On 14 November 2010 the Swaminarayan Research Institute at Akshardham was inaugurated through an event organised by the women s faction of the organisation highlighting the value of seva or socially beneficial volunteer efforts in society through mandirs churches mosques and other places of worship 57 Guinness World RecordOn 17 December 2007 Michael Whitty an official world record adjudicator for Guinness World Record travelled to Ahmedabad India to present a new world record to Pramukh Swami Maharaj the spiritual leader of BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha for the Akshardham complex 58 The record was presented for Akshardham as the World s Largest Comprehensive Hindu Temple at that time certificate 59 60 The certificate states BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham in New Delhi India is the world s largest comprehensive Hindu temple It measures 109 m 356 ft long 316 ft 96 m wide and 43 m 141 ft high covering an area of 8 021 4 m2 86 342 sq ft The grand ancient style ornately hand carved stone temple has been built without structural steel within five years by 11 000 artisans and volunteers Pramukh Swami revered spiritual leader of BAPS consecrated the temple on 6 November 2005 Akshardham showcases the essence of India s ageless art borderless culture and timeless values 61 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 62 However there are now several temples topped by Angkor Wat in Cambodia Akshardham New Jersey in the U S and the Ranganathaswamy Temple in Srirangam Tamil Nadu India which claim to be larger than Akshardham Delhi The trustees of the Srirangam Temple have reportedly disputed the Guinness World Record 63 See alsoSwaminarayan Akshardham Gandhinagar Swaminarayan Akshardham New Jersey References Swaminarayan Akshardham New Delhi What is Akshardham BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha Archived from the original on 17 October 2008 Retrieved 28 October 2008 Timeline akshardham com Retrieved 18 March 2019 Trivedi Yogi 2016 Swaminarayan Hinduism Tradition Adaptation and Identity Oxford University Press pp Chapter 13 ISBN 9780199463749 BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha Magnificent monuments of Delhi Archived from the original on 29 November 2010 Retrieved 30 January 2011 Mandir akshardham com Archived from the original on 10 September 2015 Retrieved 3 September 2015 President to inaugurate Akshardham temple today The Hindu 6 November 2005 Retrieved 5 January 2008 dead link Nimje Sonika 10 October 2023 Swaminarayan Akshardham All details on largest Hindu temple outside India Business Standard Retrieved 25 January 2024 SINGH KAVITA 2010 TEMPLE OF ETERNAL RETURN THE SWAMINARAYAN AKSHARDHAM COMPLEX IN DELHI Artibus Asiae 70 1 47 76 ISSN 0004 3648 Rabindra Vasavada Bhatt G L Sharma Yashaswini 2016 Sompura Traditional Master Builders of Western India Transcultural Research Heidelberg Studies on Asia and Europe in a Global Context ISSN 2191 656X Virendra K Trivedi Architects in Ahmedabad and Temple Architecture Designer templearchitectvkt com Retrieved 13 January 2021 Akshardham Temple Complex Ministry of Tourism Government of India Archived from the original on 31 July 2008 Retrieved 2008 09 25 Biswas Shreetoma Neoliberal Temple Sacred Pleasure Reconsidering the Akshardham Temple Complex in Delhi ANTHROPOLOGY OF ARCHITECTURE Retrieved 30 October 2023 Mandir BAPS 2005 Archived from the original on 12 September 2008 Retrieved 12 September 2008 Gajendra Pith BAPS 2005 Archived from the original on 7 September 2008 Retrieved 13 September 2008 a b Garbhagruh Inner Sanctum BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha Archived from the original on 8 October 2008 Retrieved 1 October 2008 Hall of Values BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha 2005 Archived from the original on 16 October 2008 Retrieved 1 October 2008 Sahajanand Darshan akshardham com Archived from the original on 18 September 2015 Retrieved 3 September 2015 First time ever in India An Audio animatronics Presentation of an assembly in the time of Swaminarayan BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha 2005 Archived from the original on 25 October 2008 Retrieved 30 October 2008 Mystic India BAPS Charities 2004 Archived from the original on 10 October 2008 Retrieved 30 October 2008 Giant Screen Film BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha Archived from the original on 15 September 2008 Retrieved 30 September 2008 Sanskruti Darshan akshardham com Retrieved 18 April 2018 Visit Swaminarayan Akshardham Temple in Delhi Expedia Expedia com Retrieved 18 April 2018 Sahaj Anand Water Show akshardham com Archived from the original on 10 September 2015 Akshardham Musical Fountain of Eternal Life New Delhi India Laservision 2008 Archived from the original on 20 July 2008 Retrieved 26 September 2008 Yagnapurush Kund BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha 2005 Archived from the original on 15 September 2008 Retrieved 26 September 2008 a b Garden of India BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha Archived from the original on 15 September 2008 Retrieved 30 September 2008 Neelkanth Abhishek Mandapam BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha Archived from the original on 8 October 2008 Retrieved 30 September 2008 Narayan Sarovar Sacred Water Lake BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha Archived from the original on 8 October 2008 Retrieved 30 September 2008 Akshardham Temple Delhi Shubh Yatra 2006 Archived from the original on 24 October 2008 Retrieved 18 October 2008 Visitors Info BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha 2005 Archived from the original on 16 October 2008 Retrieved 30 October 2008 Delhi s Akshardham A monument to India Rediff com November 2005 Archived from the original on 8 January 2008 Retrieved 7 January 2008 Research Center AARSH BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha 2006 Archived from the original on 20 August 2008 Retrieved 7 November 2008 Akshardham Temple Delhi India Attractions Lonely Planet Retrieved 23 November 2023 Making of Akshardham BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha Archived from the original on 8 October 2008 Retrieved 30 September 2008 a b c d e f g h i j Malik Rajiv 2006 Pride of India How Yogiji Maharaj s Dream Was Fulfilled Interview Hinduism Today Archived from the original on 29 September 2007 Retrieved 5 January 2008 Menon Nivedita Nigam Aditya 2007 Power and Contestation India Since 1989 Zed Books p 79 ISBN 978 1 84277 815 9 a b Williams Raymond Brady 2004 Swaminarayan Hinduism Williams on South Asian Religions And Immigration Ashgate Publishing Ltd p 132 ISBN 978 0 7546 3856 8 Badami Rao Divya 2010 Humanity Equality Destiny Implicating Tourism in the Commonwealth Games 2010 Bengaluru India EQUATIONS p 71 Brosius Christiane 2012 India s Middle Class New Forms of Urban Leisure Consumption and Prosperity Routledge ISBN 9781136704833 The Tribune Chandigarh India Delhi and neighbourhood tribuneindia com Archived from the original on 11 March 2016 Retrieved 26 July 2016 Brosius Christiane 2014 India s Middle Class New Forms of Urban Leisure Consumption and Prosperity Routledge India p 121 ISBN 978 1138020382 Largest temple no stranger to controversy 27 December 2007 Archived from the original on 2 August 2016 Retrieved 26 July 2016 Akshardham is first culprit in Yamuna bed violation Ramesh Indian Express archive indianexpress com Archived from the original on 15 May 2016 Retrieved 26 July 2016 D D A vs Rajendra Singh amp Ors on 30 July 2009 indiankanoon org Archived from the original on 4 March 2016 Retrieved 26 July 2016 Humanity Equality Destiny Implicating Tourism in the Commonwealth Games 2010 EQUATIONS Archived from the original on 3 March 2018 Malik Rajiv 2006 Pride of India Swaminarayan Akshardham opens in New Delhi with praise from India s religious cultural and political leaders Hinduism Today Archived from the original on 29 September 2007 Retrieved 5 January 2008 Laying of First Stone at Akshardham New Delhi Swaminarayan org 2 July 2001 Archived from the original on 23 December 2007 Retrieved 12 January 2008 Akshardham Temple Delhi Cultural India net Archived from the original on 21 April 2008 Retrieved 10 January 2008 Arya R P 2007 Incredible India Tourist amp Travel Guide Indian Map Service p 62 ISBN 978 81 89875 20 6 Pruthi R K 2003 President APJ Abdul Kalam her Anmol Publications PVT LTD p 244 a b Akshardham designers lauded The Hindu 6 November 2005 Archived from the original on 23 December 2007 Retrieved 4 January 2008 The Akshardham Experience About com 7 November 2005 Archived from the original on 18 June 2008 Retrieved 5 January 2008 Swaminarayan Akshardham Dedication Ceremony vob DVD Amdavad India Swaminarayan Aksharpith January 2006 Archived from the original on 10 January 2008 Retrieved 12 January 2008 New Garbhagruh Darshan PDF BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha 13 July 2009 Archived PDF from the original on 7 April 2012 Retrieved 29 June 2011 Athletes swarm to Akshardham temple The Hindu 12 October 2010 Archived from the original on 27 January 2012 Retrieved 29 June 2011 World Diabetes Day Celebrated at Swaminarayan Akshardham New Delhi PDF BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha 13 November 2010 Archived PDF from the original on 7 April 2012 Retrieved 29 June 2011 Jha Preeti 26 December 2007 Guinness comes to east Delhi Akshardham world s largest Hindu temple The Indian Express Archived from the original on 28 December 2007 Retrieved 2008 01 02 Akshardham temple enters Guinness Book of World Records MSN 24 July 2006 Archived from the original on 29 December 2007 Retrieved 2 January 2008 Khandekar Nivedita 26 December 2007 Delhi s Akshardham is the world s largest temple Hindustan Times Archived from the original on 3 January 2013 Retrieved 2 January 2008 Guinness Bestows Two World Records on HDH Pramukh Swami Maharaj Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha Swaminarayan Aksharpith Archived from the original on 10 June 2011 Retrieved 20 October 2008 Khandekar Nivedita 26 December 2007 Akshardham temple enters Guinness Records Rediff com Archived from the original on 29 December 2007 Retrieved 2 January 2008 TN temples bigger than Delhi s Akshardham MSN 2007 Archived from the original on 22 April 2008 Retrieved 26 September 2008 External linksSwaminarayan Akshardham Delhi at Wikipedia s sister projects nbsp Definitions from Wiktionary nbsp Media from Commons nbsp News from Wikinews nbsp Quotations from Wikiquote nbsp Texts from Wikisource nbsp Textbooks from Wikibooks nbsp Resources from Wikiversity nbsp Travel information from Wikivoyage Akshardham Information Official Akshardham Delhi Website Akshardham Temple Complex on the Incredible India website Panoramic Virtual Tour of Akshardham Other Guinness World Records Adjudications World s Largest Hindu Temple BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha The organisation responsible for the creation of Akshardham Mystic India The film shown at Akshardham Akshardham Gandhinagar Website nbsp Geographic data related to Swaminarayan Akshardham Delhi at OpenStreetMap Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Swaminarayan Akshardham Delhi amp oldid 1215512817, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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