BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham (4/4/2025)

Friday, April 4, 2025,

A day trip to Robbinsville, NJ to visit the BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham, along with Carole and Mel. BAPS stands for Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha, a Hindu socio-spiritual organization that follows the teachings of Lord Swaminarayan.

Nilkanth Plaza is named for Nilkanth Varni, the founder
of the Swaminarayan Hindu tradition; his reforms in
the early 19th century addressed the oppression of
women, young children, and marginalized castes

In the background is the Akshardham (meaning
the eternal abode or divine home of God)

At age 11, Nilkanth began a pilgrimage to the holy sites of
India, alone and barefoot, traveling 8,000 miles from 1792-1799

A statue of the youthful Nilkanth, when he
performed this yogic pose for two-and-
a-half months to purify body and mind

A symbolic river lined with the names
of the 108 holy rivers in India

South end of Brahm Kund, a traditional stepped pond
that is said to contain water from the 108 holy rivers
of India as well as from each of the 50 states

North end of Brahm Kund with a view of the Welcome Center

Brahm Kund with a view of the Hindu Mandir/place of worship

A relief to show the shape of Brahm Kund from above

Tulips indicate spring is here

Toran Gate represents a garland of flowers being
offered to the visitor in welcome

Already the detail of the hand-carved
sandstone is impressive

Inside the Welcome Center

Carved Burmese teak wood and rows of
[LED] lanterns (totaling 2,700!)

One of many mosaic-like lighted panels

We took a guided tour augmented by an audio receiver and earpiece to be sure to hear the guide.

A Hindu Mandir/"place where the mind becomes still"
(2010-2014)

No photographs were allowed in the Mandir or Akshardham.

Swaminarayan Akshardham (2015-ongoing) was envisioned
by the fifth spiritual successor of Nilkanth, later known as
Bhagwan Swaminarayan, and dedicated by the sixth in 2023;
it is the largest mandir in the United States and
the second largest in the world after Angkor Wat

The Akshardham was created from limestone; limestone
and marble were sourced from Bulgaria, Turkey and Italy;
quarried blocks were sent to India for carving and the
pieces were sent to New Jersey to be fitted together by
over 12,000 volunteers doing their seva/service

The symmetry and design of especially the inner domes was amazing, and built in such a way that a keystone was the final element to be put in place and turned to hold the dome together, including the largest elliptical dome of traditional Hindu architecture.

Elephants helped build early mandirs

Some of the exacting and symmetrical limestone carvings

Many of the statues represented musicians,
such as this man with a conch shell

Some type of bowed string instrument

Parikrama/colonnade of sandstone

Interesting sculpture of a
sculptor carving himself

Unexplained sculpture near the video theaters

Lunch at the Shayona Café: Khaman Chaat made from
chickpea flour, semolina, and curd, topped with spices

Pav Bhaji/spicy vegetable curry served with
a soft buttered bread roll

Quote from the current spiritual leader of BAPS,
"In the Joy of Others Lies Our Own,"
along with origami cranes