Over the past few months, hubby and I have taken time out to discover the art and heritage of New Delhi and we started by visiting the Who’s Who of famous temples in the Capital. We spent a whole day at Akshardhaam temple in April, and we covered the Lotus and the ISCKON temple in August. Each of these three temple complexes showcases the grandeur of Indian history, art, culture and values. While believers and worshippers gather in the main worship halls, the knowledge seekers have a variety of experiences to gather.
Akshardhaam means the eternal, divine abode of the supreme God, the abode of eternal values and virtues of Akshar as defined in the Vedas and Upanishads where divine bhakti, purity and peace forever pervades. The Akshardhaam temple, which also has an entry in the Guinness Book of World Records as the World’s Largest Comprehensive Hindu Temple, is an imposing temple built without steel or cement. Its magnitude is evident in numbers - it consists of 234 ornately carved pillars, 9 ornate domes, 20 quadrangle shikhars, a spectacular Gajendra Pith (plinth of stone elephants) and 20,000 statues of India’s divine personalities. The pillars have exquisitely carved fauna, dancers, musicians and Gods - innumerable images that leave you gaping with awe.
The grand, ancient-styled Swaminarayan Akshardhaam pink sandstone cultural complex was built in five years, round-the clock construction, under the auspices of the Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) and the colossal devotional efforts of 11,000 artisans and BAPS volunteers. It is interesting to note that Rajasthani, Oriya, Gujarati, Mughal and Jain temple architecture styles have been combined in the construction of the temple dedicated to Lord Swaminarayan. The main temple houses a colossal 11 feet gold plated statue of Swaminarayan, 
who lived in Gujarat, attained enlightenment after years of austere sadhna and later preached Hinduism in the Vaishnav Bhakti tradition.
From the architectural perspective the other unique features in this temple complex are: the Yagnapurush Kund, the Bharat Upvan, the Yogi Hraday Kamal and the Premvati Restaurant.
-
- Commonly known as the Musical Fountain, the Yagnapurush Kund is the World’s largest step well, with 2870 steps leading to the 8-petaled lotus shaped yagna kund. At night, this yagna kund comes alive with fountains, lighting and music and displays a beautifully orchestrated array of light, colors and Vedic sounds.
- The Garden of India is a vast expanse of lush green lawns but the major attraction in this garden are the bronze statues of role models in India from austere child devotees, to warriors and freedom fighters, national figures, and women personalities
- The Yogi Hraday Kamal is a sunken garden, shaped like a lotus, in the middle of the Garden of India. When viewed from above, you can see large stones engraved with quotes from world luminaries ranging from Shakespeare and Martin Luther King, to Swami Vivekananda and Lord Swaminarayan.
- The Premvati restaurant is a replica of the Ajanta and Ellora caves and serves reasonably prized hygienic vegetarian food. Adjacent to the restaurant is a souvenir shop.
A visit to Akshardham offers great outdoor viewing and activities, and all of this is complemented by what is known as the Exhibitions. The Exhibitions consist of paid-tours of three halls -
-
- Sahajanad Pradarshan or Hall no.1 features 3-D dioramas, life-like robotics, light and sound effects and panoramas in an 18th century Indian setting, to convey the message and images of India’s rich heritage
- Nilkanth Kalyan Yatra or Hall no. 2 has Delhi’s first large format IMAX screen that is over six-storey high. The film Mystic India is run on this screen, and it retraces the incredible journey of an 11-year old child yogi, Neelkanth. In 1792 AD, Neelkanth walked for 12,000 km continuously for 7 years, barefoot and bare body, through the length and breadth of India, from the Himalayas to the southern sea-shores.
- The Sanskruti Vihar or Hall no. 3 takes you on a unique boat ride through the 10,000 years of India’s glorious heritage including the world’s most ancient Vedic village life and bazaar, the world’s first university Takshila, and a journey through the ancient discoveries and inventions by Indians.
One day is usually not enough to 
capture the entire beauty and resplendence of this embodiment of art, architecture, heritage and culture. You have to adorn various roles of the worshipper, the seeker, the art connoisseur, the traveler, the tourist and the relaxing visitor to enjoy the myriad endearments to the soul, the spirit, and the sight, that Akshardhaam offers. The unique spirit of this temple complex beckons you again and again, in different seasons, at different times of the day to capture the experience in its totality.
Information for visitors:
All people irrespective of caste and religion are allowed inside the temple; however one has to go through a series of security checks at the entrance, which may take longer than anticipated on a festival, holiday or weekend. Food items are not allowed inside the premises. No electronic items such as mobile phones, cameras etc, and leather items such as wallets and belts are allowed. Cloak rooms are available to store personal items. Entry to the temple complex is free, and car and two-wheeler parking is available. Exhibitions can be viewed on purchase of per head entry tickets. There are usually queues to enter the halls, but most are well-managed and organized.
Timings
April to September (Complex: 9 AM to 7 PM, Exhibitions: 9 AM to 6:30 PM) October to March (Complex: 9 AM to 6 PM, Exhibitions: 9 AM to 5:30 PM), Musical Fountain: (Apr to Sep 7 PM, Oct to Mar 6:45 PM), Night Lighting (only on Saturdays and Sundays), Restaurant (11 AM to 8 PM), Souvenir Shop (9 AM to 8 PM).
Share and Show: 
