Akshardham Swaminarayan Temple ( Gandhinagar, Gujarat )

Akshardham Temple is situated in the Gandhinagar district ( Capital ) of Gujarat, which stands bounded by Ahmedabad city in the southwest. One of the largest temples of Gujarat, Akshardham is a place where you can find a rare amalgamation of devotion, art, architecture, education, exhibitions and research. The temple has been constructed under the aegis of Bochasanwasi Akshar-Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) of India, which was and is headed by Pramukh Swami Maharaj. Akshardham Swaminarayan Temple of Gujarat was inaugurated on 2nd November 1992. The inauguration ceremony of the temple coincided with the centenary celebrations of Yogiji Maharaj and was conducted by Pramukh Swami Maharaj only. Akshardham Temple enshrines a seven-foot high, gold-leafed, idol of Lord Swaminarayan. It stands tall with a height of 108 feet and 6000 tones of stone were used in its construction. The magnum opus monument in rock is built according to the Vaastu Shastra (architectural treatise) and not even an inch of steel has been used. The main shrine contains a 1.2 ton gold plated idol of Lord Swaminarayan. The 7 foot high idol is built in a sitting posture, with his right hand raised in abhay mudra. He is accompanied by two other idols of his disciples on both sides. Swami Gunatitanand is on his right and Swami Gopalanand on his left.

Image credit : BeatrizBarrueto

Sahajanand Van - Sahajanand Van is a garden around the temple. It has a lake, a waterfall, a children's park, rides and games and an herbal garden. You can enjoy and relax here. It also contains a marble statue of Lord Swaminarayan. Six thousand tonnes of pink sandstone were used in the construction of the monument. Akshardham Temple of Gujarat stands tall at a height of 108 feet and is 240 feet in length and 131 feet in width. The colonnade around the monument measures 1,751 feet (534 meters) in length. The garden surrounding the sanctum sanctorum is known as Sahajanand Van and represents a unique blend of contemplative garden and children's park. There is a marble sculpture of Lord Swaminarayan inside the garden also.

Image credit : Manish

Akshardham temple complex also has a research center, known as the Akshardham Center for Applied Research in Social Harmony (AARSH). The research center has facilities like an extensive library, study stations and archives, but only enlisted scholars can enter the library and make use of its facilities. The first floor of the temple has a museum, which has a gallery with a collection of over 500 'parahansas'. Other items displayed inside the temple complex include the letter to Swaminarayan's guru, Ramanand; an art object from an old tree from Chapaya; Swaminarayan's shawl and an image of the Lord on a horse. The exterior galleries serve as the venue for artistic exhibition and offer Chez Integrovision shows, audio-visuals, multi-media and the works of Lord Swaminarayan from the Hindu epics. There are three permanent exhibition halls inside the complex, set up with the aim of educating people on spiritual matters and BAPS movement.

There are three halls in the temple premises and exhibitions are held here from time to time...

Hall 1 : Sahajanand

This hall exhibits the life history of Lord Swaminarayan, via imaginative settings and shows.

Hall 2 : Sat-Chit-Anand

This hall is used to present an IMAX large format film named 'Mystic India'. It is an epic on the history of India. It also elaborates on the journey of the Lord to various places since childhood.

Hall 3 : Nityanand

The message of Upanishads, Ramayana and Mahabharata is given to the people, via wall paintings and figures. There are even exhibitions on the ancient Indian era and world religions.