Kings of yore built majestic temples as hallmarks of their mighty empire. Today, the Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) led by Pramukh Swami Maharaj is building similar grandiore monuments all over the world. One of them, the Akshardham temple in New Delhi holds the Guinness World Record for being the largest Hindu temple in the world.
Inaugurated in 2005, the colossal pink sandstone and white marble structure stands 43m tall and 96m wide amidst the sprawling 100-acre area of landscaped garden on the banks of the Yamuna River.
The temple is a stunning edifice with ornate pillars, domes, quadrangled shikhars and 20,000 images of religious personalities. Each of the eight mandapas is a sculpted masterpiece dedicated to the worship of important Hindu deities and Swaminarayan. The plinth of the temple showcases life-size elephants and other birds and animals in various moods.
Its other features include robotic shows depicting Swaminarayan’s life; a fascinating ride in peacockshaped boats reliving the glories of ancient India and the Yagnapurush Kund, India’s largest step well that doubles up as a marvellous musical fountain at night. The Narayan Sarovar, the lake around the temple, contains the waters of 151 sacred rivers and lakes including the Mansarovar. The monument looks resplendent when it is lit up at night.