Akshardham

I had the privilege of visiting the Swaminarayan Akshardham Temple in Delhi yesterday. In one word, it's simply SUBLIME, beyond anything you can ever imagine.

The main temple structure having the sanctum sanctorum stands lofty, being the most conspicuous structure.

The whole temple and its surrounding buildings and passages are made of stone with highly intricate carvings mostly of the Hindu Gods and Goddesses and extremely artistic designs (typically Hindu/Indian).

The main temple structure flaunts majestically beautiful elephant carvings (on the walls) that depict their associations with the divine - Maha Lakshmi with elephants, celestial elephant Airavat- being churned out at Samudra Manthana... Airavat with its many tusks almost comes to life as the carvings enchant the viewer.

Inside the sanctum sanctorum, sits the golden Bhagvan Swaminaryan, huge and most dignified. His form stills time.. 5 Successors from Gunatitanand Swami to Pramukh Swami Maharaj in gold stand facing him, paying devotion. Around this huge form are Sita Ram -Hanuman, Radha Krishna, Lakshmi Narayan and Parvati Shiva - Ganesh, all looking celestial. The domes on the top are carved to make you gape in awe.

Pramukh Swami Maharaj, the current and 5th successor of Swaminarayan. His quote: "In the joy of others, lies our own"

The crafty carvings can't help but make one marvel at the dexterity and finesse of the creator and the created. An entrance gate boasts of having 108 dual-god carvings of wish fulfilling gods including Shiva - Parvati, Nar -Narayan, Lakshmi - Narayan, Ram - Sita, Krishna -Radha ..









Young ascetic Neelkanth (Swminarayan) for abhishekam.
He left home for at 4 to do rigorous austerities in the unwelcome Himalayas, knew the Vedas and Shastras well by 11, traveled a distance of 1200 km on foot reaching Kaniyakumari before finally settling at Loj, Gujarat where his master Ramananda Swami was waiting for him. He is named Narayan Muni by his master and is eventually revered as Swaminarayan. He's widely considered to be an incarnation of Krishna himself.

Jai Swaminarayan..

(btw.. PHOTOGRAPHY IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED!!.. these pics are from the Akshardham website.. they even have your waist belts x-rayed at security check :D )