Delhi is popular as a city for its old constructions, monuments and historical buildings. But when it’s about beautiful constructions the city has some newer sites as well which are equally attention seeking. One such beautiful temple complex is the Akshardham Temple Delhi. This is the largest comprehensive Hindu Temple in the world and truly a visit there would be fulfilling. So if you are ever in Delhi then this is one important site of pilgrimage that you must visit. Keep on reading this article as here I will mention everything that you probably need to know about Akshardham Temple. This will be a helpful article for you if you are planning a trip there soon.
Akshardham Temple Delhi
Location: Noida Mor, NH 24, Akshardham Setu, New Delhi
Timings:
The Akshardham Temple timings are from 10 am to 6:30 pm on all days from Tuesday to Sunday. Monday is closed.
Entry fee:
Akshardham Temple ticket price for general visit is free. Visitors can come and enter the temple for free and also offer prayers at the temple. However there are separate tickets for other activities here like the Exhibitions or the Shows.
For exhibition the ticket price is Rs. 170 for adults, Rs. 100 for children and Rs. 125 for senior citizens. And for the Musical Fountain the ticket price is Rs. 80 for adults, Rs. 50 for children and Rs. 80 for senior citizens. For children below the age of 4 years entry to the temple is free.
How to reach
By air
If you are travelling by air then the nearest airport to reach the Akshardham Temple is the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi. From there the distance of the temple is 27.4 km and you can reach there in about 44 minutes.
By train
If you are travelling by train then the nearest railway station to reach the temple is the New Delhi railway station. From there the Akshardham Temple is 9.8 km away and you can reach there in about 21 minutes.
By road
You can travel from nearby cities and towns to reach Akshardham Temple Delhi. If you are travelling from Gurgaon then the distance is about 43 km. You can travel from within the city as well. Buses are available if you are travelling here from nearby cities. Or else if you are travelling within the city you can opt for the city buses to travel to the temple.
By metro
While travelling in a metro the nearest metro station to reach this temple is the Akshardham Metro Station on the Blue Line. From the metro station the temple is only 2 km away and you can reach there by walking for about 10 minutes. Or else you can hire an auto as well to reach the temple in about 2 minutes. However if you are travelling in the Yellow Line then the nearest metro station to the temple is the Rajiv Chowk Metro Station. From there the temple is located about 8.6 km away and you can reach there in about 15 minutes.
Overview of Akshardham Temple
The Akshardham Temple is one of the most important sites of worship in Delhi and a popular tourist spot as well. Akshardham literally means the Abode of Lord. According to beliefs Akshardham is the divine abode of Lord Swaminarayan on Earth. The Akshardham Temple Delhi is basically a huge temple complex that also offers varied activities here. Other than Lord Swaminarayan this is a temple dedicated to other Hindu Gods and Goddesses as well. Few of them are Lord Shri Krishna and Devi Radha, Lord Rama and Devi Sita, Lord Shiva and Devi Parvati and Goddess Lakhshmi and Lord Narayana. This is a beautiful complex which opened its gate formally in 2005.
Furthermore the complex is huge and is located on the banks of the Yamuna River. Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam inaugurated this temple. The creation of this temple is done on the basis of Vastu Shastra. This is one of the most popular temples in Delhi where a huge number of devotees visit on a regular basis. Both for the tourists as well as for the city dwellers this is an important Hindu temple.
Akshardham Temple History
The Akshardham Temple Delhi is located close to the Commonwealth Games village on the banks of the Yamuna River. This was an idea that Yogiji Maharaj, the then spiritual head of BAPS, conceived in 1968. Later in 1982 Pramukh Swami Maharaj, his successor started the work towards construction of this temple. In 2000, Delhi Development Authority along with Uttar Pradesh Government offered 60 acres and 30 acres of land respectively. Also in the same year in the month of November the construction finally started. In total it took 5 years for the completion of this construction.
Officially the inauguration ceremony took place on 6th November 2005. A.P.J Abdul Kalam inaugurated the temple and many other important personalities attended the ceremony. The then Prime Minister of India Dr. Manmohan Singh, opposition leader L.K Advani were present there. The Akshardham Temple is also a name in the Guinness Book of World Records for being the largest Hindu Temple in the world.
Architecture of Akshardham Temple
The Akshardham Temple Delhi is an architectural marvel built in pink sandstone and marble. The main Mandir is located at the centre of the Swaminarayan Akshardham Complex. Other than the temple you will find beautiful gardens, open courtyards, exhibitions, water bodies and more here. The whole construction followed a traditional Hindu style of architecture. On the walls you will spot beautiful carvings of flowers, animals, dancers, musicians as well as Hindu Gods and Goddesses. Here the red sandstone used is from Rajasthan and also there is use of Italian Carrara marble.
Main Temple
The main Akshardham Temple stands with a height of 141.4 feet. It is an elaborate structure spreading across 316 feet. There are around 234 beautiful pillars with carvings on it. Along with that the 9 domes here have 20 quadrangle peaks. You will also find more than 20,000 idols here all related to Hinduism. However the main deity here is Lord Swaminarayan and that is about 11 feet tall. The statue is situated under the central dome of the temple. All the deities that you will find at the temple are made of Panch Dhatu or 5 metals.
Gates
Once you visit the Akshardham Temple the magnificent gates here will greet you first. All total there are 10 gates here and each of them symbolizes 10 different directions. The gates are Bhakti Dwar, Mayur Dwars etc.
Garbhagriha
This is the inner sanctum sanctorum of the temple where you will find the idol of Lord Swaminarayan. Along with that there are idols of other saints here also. There are idols of Yogiji Maharaj, Gunatitananda Maharaj, Shashtriji Maharaj, Pramukh Swami Maharaj and Bhagatji Maharaj. Also other deities of Gods and Goddesses are present here as well. You will find idols of Rama-Sita, Laxmi-Narayana, Shiv-Parvati, Radha-Krishna here.
Mandapams
There are multiple mandapams inside the temple and the carvings here are breathtaking to look at. The main Mandapam here is the Swaminarayan Mandapam. Then there is the Paramhansa Mandapam which is 72 feet high. Next there is the 38 feet tall Ghanshyam Mandapam. Furthermore there is the 72 feet high Lila Mandapam. The other Mandapams are Neelkanth Mandapam, Smruti Mandapam, Sahajananda Mandapam, Bhakta Mandapam and the Purushottam Mandapam.
Mandovar
This is basically the outer portico of the Akshardham Temple Delhi. In total there are 2000 sculptures here. This structure is moreover 25 feet in height and 611 feet in length.
Narayan Peeth
This is a path where the devotees perform pradakshinas. There is a 60 feet long relief panel here. Moreover, through the panel you will find incidents from the life of Lord Swaminarayan.
Gardens
The Akshardham Delhi complex has two beautiful gardens, the Bharat Upvan and the Yogihriday Kamal. These gardens surely add up to the beauty of the complex. The entry to the garden is free and the timings are from 9:30 am to 7 pm.
Other important structures here are the Narayan Sarovar, Gajendra Peeth, Yagnapurush Kund, Abhishek Mandapam etc.
Exhibition at Akshardham Temple
Other than the architecture of the temple the exhibitions here are another major attraction for the visitors. There are three huge halls which are the Sahajananda Darshan, Sanskruti Darshan and the Neelkanth Darshan. Moreover the exhibition timings are from 10 am to 8 pm and there are shows every half an hour. You will however find shows here both in Hindi as well as in English languages. The ticket counter remains open till 7 pm.
The Sahajananda Darshan offers various multimedia techniques, 3D dioramas and use of audio animatronics figures to explain exhibits on topics like family harmony, non violence, morality etc. The Neelkanth Darshan is a theatre with a huge screen and plays a movie on the life of Shri Swaminarayan. The main attraction however is the Sanskruti Darshan which is basically a cultural boat ride. It is a 12 minute long ride and the ride will take you along some representations. These include Yoga Practices, Game of Chess, Vedic Marketplace etc.
The timings for boat ride are from 10 am to 8 pm. The ticket counter however remains open till 7 pm. There is no additional ticket for the boat ride. The ticket price for the exhibition includes the boat ride as well.
Musical Fountain at Akshardham Temple
The Musical Fountain Show at the Akshardham Temple is another major attraction here. And at night Akshardham Temple Delhi looks even more beautiful. This is a Light and Sound Show that depicts stories from ancient Hindu scriptures. They use multiple technologies here like colourful lasers, underwater flames, water jets, video projections etc which provides a grand experience. From Tuesday to Sunday you can attend the show at 7 pm.
Wrapping Up!
So that was all about the Akshardham Temple Delhi and now you just need to go and visit there. The structure of this temple is majestic and you can easily spend a whole day there by observing the beautiful structures here. So when are you planning a trip to the Akshardham Temple? And let me know if this article of Akshardham Temple is helpful for you in planning a trip to this location.
