| Akshardham means the eternal, divine
abode of the supreme God, the abode of eternal values
and virtues of Akshar as defined in the Vedas and Upanishads
where divine bhakti, purity and peace forever pervades.
In the long history of man's endeavor to grasp the fundamental
truth of being, the sages and profound thinkers of early
India have helped in solving the problems of the origin,
the nature and the destiny of man and the universe.
Since then temple has acted as the entrance of self-realization
and God. Akshardham is not just a temple, but a place
of education, entertainment and enlightenment. There
are 73 richly patterned and 63 partially carved pillars.
Spread across a 23-acres, this complex is flooded with
shrines, sculptures, parks, lakes and rides. All these
come together to create the most powerful experience
of Indian culture ever to exist. Dedicated to Lord Swaminarayan
and inspired by Pujya Pramukh Swami Maharaj, Akshardham
is a miracle worked by the service and devotion of thousands
of volunteers.
Design & Architecture
The imposing 10 story high monument is made entirely
of intricately carved, 6000 tons of pink sand-stone
from Rajasthan, with no steel or cement used at all,
ensuring that the monument will last for a thousand
years. More than 12 million man hours of 900 skilled
craftsmen have created this magnificent monument of
93 sculpted pillars, 40 windows carved from both sides,
and a feast of forms and filigrees. Built inch to inch
according to the ancient Sthaapatya shastras of India,
no steel has been used. Support beams are 22 ft. single
piece stone blocks. The pillars are poetry in stone,
with beautiful expression from foot to crown.
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