Akshardham Temple

Architecture

The Akshardham Templein Delhi is a tribute to traditional Hindu architectural styles that werepopular in India during the ancient and mediaeval periods. The main temple,which was constructed using Pancharatra Shastra and Vastu Shastra concepts,stands in the centre of the complex. The main shrine, known as the AkshardhamMandir, is 141 feet tall, 316 feet wide, and 356 feet long.

The temple embodiesIndia's culture and spiritual richness, with over 234 exquisitely carved walls,20 quadrangle spires, 9 elaborate domes, and 20,000 sculptures of spiritualpersonalities from India.

Each component of theAkshardham Temple complex is an intricate work of art with impeccablecraftsmanship. The temple was built with Rajasthani pink sandstone and ItalianCarrara marble. It is encircled by open gardens, a stepwell-style courtyard,numerous water sources, and other buildings.

The Akshardham Temple Complex in Delhi is the place to see

Within the AkshardhamTemple complex in Delhi, there are many attractions worth seeing.

Among them are:

• Extensive welcome gates.
• The largest temple dedicated to Bhagwan Swaminarayan is Akshardham Mandir.
• Abhishek Mandap (Abhishek Mandir).
• Sahajanand Darshan, Neelkanth Darshan, and Sanskruti Darshan are three exhibits.
• The Garden of India, a 60-acre complex of themed gardens decorated with bronze sculptures of Indian heroes, warriors, and great figures.
• Yogi Hraday Kamal, also known as the Lotus Garden, is a place where you can see stones inscribed with quotes from world leaders, scientists, and philosophers.
• Narayan Sarovar, a body of water containing water from 151 sacred rivers and lakes in India.
• Water Show or Musical Fountain.
• Vegetarian food courtyard Premvati Ahargruh in the complex.
• The souvenir shop in this complex is Akshardham Books and Gifts Centre.
• Akshardham Temple exhibitions in Delhi.
• At the AkshardhamTemple, there are three special exhibits, each educational, insightful andinspiring. The exhibits are a mixture of art, culture and latest technology andare seen in three large halls.

Here is a rundown of the Akshardham Temple shows, Delhi: This is the following:

1. Sahayan, Darshan (Exhibition Hall 1)

This is the Hall wherevarious ideals are presented by animatronic figures or multimedia technologies,such as perseverance, non-violence or morals. The timeless concepts of Hinduculture are also conveyed through recent techniques such as 3D dioramas andimmersive projections.

• Length: 1 hour.
• Languages: Englishand Hindi (separate shows).

 2. Darshan of Neelkanth (Exhibition Hall 2)

This is a giant-screen theatre where a 40-minute filmcalled Neelkanth Yatra depicts the spiritual and cultural beauty of the world.The film tells the storey of Bhagwan Swaminarayan's pilgrimage during histeenage years.

• Length: 45 min.
• Speaker: Hindi.

*Headphones with English commentary are available.*

3. Darshan of Sanskruti (Exhibition Hall 3)

 Visitors board a boat and sail through 10,000 years ofIndia's glorious heritage in this exhibition hall. Throughout the trip,visitors can see exhibits that recount some of India's greatest achievements.For example, there are exhibits depicting a Vedic marketplace, a TakshashilaUniversity classroom, etc.

• Time limit: 15 minutes
• Speaker*: Hindi.

*On request, English commentary is available.*

Akshardham Temple, Delhi : Musical Fountain or WaterShow

The one-of-a-kind interactive water show called SahajAnand is one of the key attractions at the Akshardham Temple in Delhi. The showuses video projections, coloured lasers, water jets, underwater flames, andsurround sound to tell a story of an episode from the Kena Upanishad.

• Length: 24 minutes.
• Speech: Hindi.
• Start time*: 7:45 p.m.

*The first performance takes place after sunset. During public holidays and weekends, several shows are often held.

Tickets are Rupees 80 for adults, Rupees 50 for children (4 to 11 years), and free for children under the age of four.

Delhi's Akshardham Temple: Little-Known Facts

• The name Akshardham is made up of two words: Akshar, which means eternal, and Dham, which means abode. As a result, Akshardham means "the eternal one's abode."
• This temple complex has ten welcoming gates.
• To optimize the temple's lifespan, no concrete or steel were used in its building.
• The Yagnapurush Kund, located inside the temple, is the world's largest of its kind.
• The food court inside the temple, Premvati Ahargruh, is themed after the Ajanta and Ellora caves in Maharashtra, with over 11,000 artisans working on it.

Attractions near Delhi's Akshardham Temple

• The Sanjay Park (4 km)
• The Millennium Park (6.7 km)
• The Red Fort (7.2 km)
• The India Gate (7.9 km)
• Shri Balaji Temple (10.3 km)

SWAGATAM

'Swagatam' means'Welcome!' The Welcome Gates, accompanied by Bhakti Dwar, will greet you onceyou enter the campus. When passing through a Visitors' Center, the tourist canask a volunteer for help planning a tour or pick up a printed guidebook. EnjoyMayur Dwar's intricate carvings and make a wish at Charanarvind which meansHoly Footprints.

MANDIR

In Garbhagruh, pray to the gods and be blessed by theMandapams (carved ceilings). On the first floor, take a walk outside throughthe bronze relief work known as the Narayan Peeth. In Gajendra Peeth, walk withelephants on the outside walls at ground level and learn about their stories.

ABHISHEK MANDAP

Meet in a prayer for peace and the fulfilment of peoplesdesires. Offer holy water to Bhagwan Swaminarayan's teenage yogi form,Neelkanth, as part of a spiritual ritual.

EXHIBITIONS

The exhibitions produce spectacular environmentscapable of transporting audiences to ancient India. They are artisticallyfascinating, scientifically breathtaking, culturally moving, and spirituallyelevating.  The exhibits are divided into three sections: 

•  Sanskruti Darshan – Cultural Boat Ride;
•  Sahajanand Darshan – Hall of Values;
•  Neelkanth Darshan – Large Format Film

WATER SHOW

Sahaj Anand - A spiritual digital water shows withawe-inspiring visuals. A captivating and inspiring portrayal of a significantstorey from the Kena Upanishad is created using multi-colour lasers, videoprojects, underwater fires, water jets, and surround sound in symphony withlights and live actors.

THEMATIC GARDENS

The two thematic gardens at Swaminarayan Akshardhamare a discussion with nature, history, and culture. At the Bharat Upvan, youwill learn about inspiring children, men, and women from Indian history. At theYogihriday Kamal, you will absorb the insights of great minds from all over theworld.

Visitor Guide

FROM THE AKSHARDHAM MUNICIPAL MUNICIPAL MUNICIPAL MUNICIPAL MUNICIPAL

DIRECTIONS FROM THE AIRPORT (1HR 30 MINS)

1. Go to New Delhi Metro Station on the Orange Line.
2. Arrive at the New Delhi Metro Station and disembark.
3. Follow the Yellow Line (toward HUDA City Centre)
4. Arrive at Rajiv Chowk Metro Station and disembark.
5. Use the Blue Line (Towards Noida City Centre).
6. Arrive at Akshardham Metro Station and disembark.

FROM THE RAILWAY STATION IN NEW DELHI (40 MINS)

1. Proceed to the Ajmeri Gate Exit.Follow the Yellow Line (toward HUDA City Centre)
2. Arrive at Rajiv Chowk Metro Station and disembark.
3. Use the Blue Line (Towards Noida City Centre).
4. Make their way to the New Delhi Metro Station.
5. Follow the Yellow Line (toward HUDA City Centre).
6. Arrive at Rajiv Chowk Metro Station and disembark.
7. Use the Blue Line (Towards Noida City Centre).
8. Arrive at Akshardham Metro Station and disembark.

FROM THE OLD RAILWAY STATION IN DELHI (45 MINS).

1. Proceed to Chandni Chowk Metro Station (350 Meters).
2. Arrive at Akshardham Metro Station and disembark.

Other Visiting Sites

Hathee Singh Jain Temple

• Hutheesing Wadi, Ahmedabad, India, is located nearDelhi Darwaja.
• Swaminarayan Akshardham is 2 kilometres away.
• The temple wasoriginally planned by Shet Hathisinh Kesarisinh, a wealthy Ahmedabad merchantwho died at the age of 49. Shethani Harkunvar, his wife, oversaw and completedthe building. The overall cost was about Rs. 8 lakh, which was a significantamount at the time. Lord Dharmanatha, the fifteenth Jain Tirthankar, ishonoured in this temple.

Jami Masjid

• Ahmedabad,India, opposite Mahatma Gandhi Road
• SwaminarayanAkshardham is 1.6 kilometres away.
• The Jama Masjid of Delhi, also known as the Masjid-iJehan Numa (lit. "World-reflecting Mosque" or "Mosque of theCelestial Sphere"), is one of India's largest mosques.
• It was built between 1650 and 1656 at a cost of onemillion rupees by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan and inaugurated by Imam Syed AbdulGhafoor Shah Bukhari of Bukhara. The mosque was finished in 1656 AD, with threewide gates and two 40-meter-high minarets made of red sandstone and whitemarble strips. More than 25000 people can be facilitated in the courtyard.
• On the terrace, there are three domes that aresurrounded by two minarets. A total of 899 black borders are labelled on thefloor for worshippers. The architectural plan of Shah Jahan's son Aurangzeb'sBadshahi Masjid in Lahore is identical to that of the Jama Masjid.

Heritage Walk of Ahmedabad

• Relief Road, Ahmedabad, India 380001
• Swaminarayan Akshardham is 1.6 kilometres away.
• Ahmedabad is home to some of India's most beautifulIslamic monuments as well as exquisite Hindu and Jain temples. Anotherdistinctive architectural tradition is its carved wooden buildings.
• Ahmedabad's oldcity plan is unique in that it consists of several "Pols," orself-contained neighbourhoods, each housing a large number of residents. Someof these Pols are essentially small villages, with narrow lanes leading tosquares (Chowks) containing the 'Community Well' and 'Chabutro' (for feedingbirds).

Bai Harir ni Vav (Stepwell)

• Haripura, Asarwa, Ahmedabad 380016 India HanumansinghRoad.
• Swaminarayan Akshardham is 0.9 km away.
• According to the Persian inscription in the stepwell,the stepwell was constructed in 1485 by Dhai Harir, a Mahmud Begada householdlady.
• [1] She was the royal harem's superintendent.
• Dhai Harir constructed a mosque and a tomb for her tobe buried in. The well has two inscriptions from the first gallery, one inSanskrit on the south wall and one in Arabic on the north wall.