New Jersy: The world’s biggest Hindu temple constructed outside India in modern times is all set to be inaugurated in New Jersey on October 8. This temple, known as the Akshardham temple, has been built by the BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham organization and is hailed as the largest Hindu temple in the modern era outside India. This temple is dedicated to Bhagwan Swaminarayan, a 19th-century Hindu spiritual leader. It was inspired by his 5th spiritual successor, Pramukh Swami Maharaj, a renowned saint of his time.
Situated in Robbinsville Township, New Jersey, this monumental structure has been meticulously constructed by over 12,500 volunteers hailing from various corners of the United States over a span of 12 years, commencing in 2011 and culminating in 2023. According to PTI, it is possibly the second largest after the 12th-century Hindu temple Angkor Wat in Cambodia which spreads across 500 acres.
The temple, spanning over 183 acres, was designed based on ancient Hindu scriptures and incorporates elements of Indian culture, including 10,000 statues, carvings of Indian musical instruments, and dance forms.
Aksharvatsaldas Swami, a scholar of the BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham organization, told the news agency PTI, “Our spiritual leader, Pramukh Swami Maharaj, had a vision that in the Western hemisphere, there should be a place which can be a place for all people of the world, not only for Hindus, not only for Indians, not only for certain groups of people; it should be for all of the world where people can come and learn some values, universal values based in Hindu tradition. It was his wish, and it was his Sankalp (pledge). According to his Sankalp, this Akshardham has been built with traditional Hindu temple architecture.”
To ensure lasting strength, four types of stone, including limestone from Bulgaria and Turkey, marble from Greece, Turkey, and Italy, granite from India and China, and sandstone from India were used in the temple’s construction.
The temple also have a ‘Brahma Kund,’ a traditional Indian stepwell. The water inside the kund was sourced from more than 300 water bodies worldwide, including the holy rivers of India and every state in the United States. This melding of diverse waters symbolizes the universal embrace of Akshardham.