Swaminarayan Akshardham, often called Akshardham Temple, The word “Akshardham” comes from two parts: “Akshar,” which means eternal, and “Dham,” which means home or place. So, when we put them together, “Akshardham” refers to a divine home or a place of eternal significance.
It was opened its doors on November 6, 2005. The ceremony was led by Pramukh Swami Maharaj and attended by important figures such as A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, Manmohan Singh, L.K. Advani, and B.L. Joshi. This remarkable complex beautifully blends traditional and modern elements of Hindu culture, spirituality, and architecture.
At the heart of the complex is the Akshardham Mandir, which is notable for its stunning carvings of plants, animals, dancers, musicians, and various Hindu gods. Built using Rajasthani pink sandstone and Italian Carrara marble, the mandir has 234 beautifully decorated pillars, nine domes, and about 20,000 small statues representing saints and devotees. One of its highlights is the Gajendra Pith, which honors the elephant, a significant symbol in Hindu culture and Indian history.
In addition to the mandir.
Akshardham offers an abhishek mandap for rituals, a spectacular water show called the Sahaj Anand, a lovely garden, and three exhibitions: Sahajanand Darshan (a Hall of Values), Neelkanth Darshan (an IMAX film about the early life of Swaminarayan), and Sanskruti Darshan (a cultural boat ride through Indian heritage).
Built by BAPS, Akshardham is the second-largest Hindu temple created by this organization, following the one in New Jersey, USA. The complex is easy to reach, as it is located near the Akshardham Metro Station in Delhi.