Big in scale, impressive in detail, and overloaded with attractions, this temple has everything you might expect from an epic Hindu temple – and some you might not.
There are many extravagant and horizon-grabbing temples in New Delhi, a capital that prefers to take its public worship to as grand-a-scale as possible. There's only one, however, that can stand the claim of being the largest Hindu temple in the world: the Swaminarayan Akshardham Temple. And that distinction, of being the 'World's Largest Comprehensive Hindu Temple', was awarded by none-other than the Guinness World Book of Records. It doesn't just have size on its side, either. It is wildly popular too. Some estimate that 7-in-10 of visitors to Delhi will come to this Hindu temple during their stay.The Swaminarayan Akshardham Temple is set in nearly 41 hectares of pools, walkways and gardens, but still manages to dominate them. The Temple consists of a series of nine stepped domes, supported by 234 intricately-carved pillars. They in turn rest on a plinth that is supported by 148 sculpted elephant figures – all made from fine, pink Rajasthani sandstone. The whole intricate complex is festooned with carved details of flowers, dancers, animals and musicians, and has 20,000 murtis – Hindu religious statues – both inside and out.The reason for all this immense splendour is a man believed to be god-incarnate by his followers – Sahajanand Swami, or Swaminarayan. He was a guru from the 19th-century who gathered an enormous following among Hindus, and other sects, through his pious acts. He remains the central figure of Swaminarayan Hinduism, a sect popular across India, whose followers helped erect this enormous temple complex in 2005.Because of its very recent development, the Temple manages to put a very modern spin to spiritual inspiration and education. Here you will find a 24-metre wide giant cinema screen, dedicated to Neelkanth Yatra – a film detailing Swaminarayan's seven-year teenage pilgrimage across India. You can take a place on the steps of the gigantic sunk-fountain, Yagnapurush Kund – the biggest in India – where a vibrant light-show of brilliantly cascading water is played out each evening.You can even take a peacock-boat ride through ten millennia of Indian history, including a mock of its first university: not many temples can claim water-rides as part of their attraction. But as a temple that exemplifies the exuberant, dramatic and colourful Hindu approach to spirituality, the Swaminarayan Akshardham Temple is certainly hard to beat. Even in Delhi.
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