BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham Temple Opens: Know About the Key Details of the Largest Hindu Temple in the US

The BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham Temple, the largest Hindu temple in the US, has opened its doors to the public. Located in Robbinsville, New Jersey, the temple is a marvel of Hindu architecture and craftsmanship. Learn more about the key details of this stunning new land

The BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham Temple in Robbinsville, New Jersey, is the largest Hindu temple in the United States. 

It opened its doors to the public on October 8, 2023, after 12 years of construction.

The BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha mentions: “As the fireworks lit the clear night sky and excitement filled the ground with a marching band from Dallas, TX joining dancers across the courtyard, His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj celebrated a grand dedication of the rich history of Indian culture and Hindu Sanatan Dharma as embodied through BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham in Robbinsville, New Jersey on October 8, 2023.

“Today’s celebration remembers, reveres, and respects all the values that have been instilled within the foundation of Akshardham. Experiencing Akshardham is opening a window into thousands of years of Indian history,” it adds. 

 The temple was built by the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS), a Hindu religious and social organization. BAPS has over 1,000 temples around the world, including two other Akshardham temples in India.

The Akshardham temple in Robbinsville is spread over 183 acres and features over 10,000 statues and carvings. The main shrine is dedicated to Bhagwan Swaminarayan, a Hindu deity who lived in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Other features of the temple include a cultural centre, a multimedia theatre, and a heritage museum. The temple also has a large garden with a variety of plants and flowers.

The Akshardham temple is open to people of all faiths and backgrounds. Visitors can learn about Hinduism and Indian culture through the temple's exhibits and programs.

Here are some facts about the BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham Temple in Robbinsville, New Jersey:

• It has 40 small Fasnakar style shikhars (spires)
• It has 2 large and 8 small ghummats (domes)
• It has 98 sthambhas (carved pillars)
• It has 66 intricately carved peacock style arches
• It has 144 carved sacred figures
• It has 58 decorative ceiling designs
• It has 34 decorative grills
• It has 91 elephants with various musical instruments and flowers
• It has 44 Ganesh Murtis portrayed offering devotion to Bhagwan
• It has 13,499 individual carved stone pieces
• It is 42 feet tall, 87 feet wide, and 133 feet long
• The temple was built over a period of 12 years by over 12,500 volunteers from all over the world
• The temple is made entirely of marble and limestone
• The temple complex includes a main shrine, nine shikhars (spire-like structures), nine pyramidal shikhars, and the largest elliptical dome ever constructed from stone
• The main shrine houses a 32-foot-tall statue of Bhagwan Swaminarayan
• The temple complex also includes a museum, a cultural centre, and a garden mark.

READ| List of Largest Hindu Temples in the World outside India