Akshardham Complex, New Delhi
Akshardham Complex, New Delhi
After 5 years of non-stop, round-the-clock construction, the massive and awesome Akshardham Temple Monument to World Peace was inaugurated today. The Akshardham Temple in New Delhi, India, constructed by the BAPS foundation -- the builders of the various Swaminaryan Temples across the world, is truly a modern day Wonder of the World.
It
is one of the biggest and most intricate religious places of worship
ever constructed. Combining several completely different and
contrasting architectural styles of Hindu temple architecture of
northern India -- Rajasthani, Odissi, Gujarati, Mughal and Jain -- the
Akshardham Monument is entirely constructed of marble and the
red-sandstone that Delhi is famous for, and that so many of her
monuments are constructed of. It was completed in only 5 years a world
record of sorts.
So after years
of waiting, the Temple was opened to the public in 2005 -- and to
photographers. Below is the New Delhi Akshardham Complex as seen
through the eyes of a BAPS photographer. The pictures are a great many
and will take a long time to load, but totally, totally worth the wait!
At its inaguration, it is widely being heralded as one of the greatest monuments India has ever produced. I hope you enjoy viewing this architectual marvel as much as I enjoyed having the honor presenting it.
Monument of Akshardham
The Akshardham monument, built without steel, is entirely composed of sandstone and marble. It consists of 234 ornately carved pillars, 9 ornate domes, 20 quadrangled shikhars, a spectacular Gajendra Pith (plinth of stone elephants) and 20,000 murtis and statues of India's great sadhus, devotees, acharyas and divine personalities.
The monument is a fusion of several architectural styles of pink stone and pure white marble. Pink stone symbolizes bhakti (devotion) in eternal bloom and white marble of absolute purity and eternal peace. The monument was built after over 300 million man hours of services rendered by 11,000 volunteers, sadhus and artisans.
It is the one of the wonders of the modern world, and the wonders of modern India .
Sahajanand Darshan / Hall of Values
The Sahajanand Darshan or Hall of Values is a huge
museum of India's Spiritual Heritage, and the heritage of the
Swaminarayan sect, featured through the life of His Holiness Bhagwan
Swaminarayan. The many exhibits portray the messages of ahimsa
(nonviolence), endeavor, prayer, vegetarianism, family harmony, etc.
through 3-D dioramas and presentations from the life of His Holiness
Bhagwan Swaminarayan. Exquisite settings and statues in each diorama
are brought to life through robotics, fibre optics, light and sound
effects, dialogues and music, transporting the audience to 18th century
India.
Garden of India / Bharat Upvan
"Through the millenniums people have always looked
up to role models for inspiration, guidance, peace and courage. Their
sterling lives radiate a perennial glow for the whole of mankind,
regardless of all human, geographical and cultural distinctions. India,
which has the most ancient continuous civilisation in the world, which
hosts one sixth of humanity and has the largest democracy in the world,
has produced from its vast cultural matrix a legion of role models for
the world to emulate."
The Garden of India is a huge garden featuring flora and fauna from all
over the length and breadth India, from the Himalayas to the
Kanyakumari, and the Deserts of Persia to the Jungles of Burma. The
Bharat Upvan also has statues and figures of India's Kings, Warriors
and Freedom Fighters, India's National Figures, and India's Women
Personalities.
Musical Fountains / Yagnapurush Kund
The Yagnapurush Kund is a fascinating combination
of a Vedic yagna kund and a musical fountain. It is the world's largest
yagna kund measuring 300' X 300' with 2,870 steps and 108 small
shrines. In its center lies an 8-petaled lotus shaped yagna kund
designed according to the Jayaakhya Samhita of the Panchratra
scripture. Its perfect geometric forms testify to ancient India's
ancient knowledge in mathematics and geometry. At night the center
comes to life with a colorful musical water fountain that echoes the
Vedic sentiments of India.
Vvibhuti Mandovar
Pari Krama
Narayan Pith
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