The second largest Hindu temple in the world and the largest in the Western Hemisphere has been inaugurated in New Jersey city of America. Located on 185 acres of land in Robbinsville City, New Jersey, 99 kilometers south of New York City, this Akshardham Temple is 191 feet high.
This temple was inaugurated on October 8 in the presence of Mahant Swami Maharaj, leader of ‘Bochasanvasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan’ (BAPS). Thousands of people attended the inauguration ceremony.
Mahant Swami Maharaj said, ‘It was the divine wish of Pramukh Swami Maharaj to build such an Akshardham temple in North America where people of all castes, creeds or religions can come.’ Delaware Governor John Carney and Congressman Steny Hoyer also attended the inauguration ceremony.
Senior BAPS leader and motivational speaker Gyanvatsaldas Swami told PTI, “It is the second largest Hindu temple on the planet and obviously the largest temple in the Western Hemisphere which will be inaugurated on October 8 on the 90th anniversary of Mahant Swami Maharaj’s death anniversary.” Inaugurated on birthday. It is dedicated to this society and humanity.
He said, ‘The basic objective of building the temple is to inspire people with values. According to Indian texts, the four pillars of Ekantik Dharma – Dharma, Gyan, Vairagya and Bhakti – have been well explained by Lord Swaminarayan. Therefore it is a monument dedicated to Indian culture and tradition.
It is a memorial dedicated to the life and teachings of Lord Swaminarayan. The stories of Ramayana and Mahabharata are engraved on the stones installed in the temple. There are more than 150 Indian musical instruments and all the major dance forms on the pillars and walls of the temple.
Brahmaviharidas Swami, in-charge of the Akshardham temple under construction in Abu Dhabi, said, ‘The best way to preserve art is its rebirth. BAPS has been able to revive the ancient art in its own way. Thousands of artists have started working once again and their art is being given importance so that it can be preserved for the coming generations.
Yogi Trivedi, a researcher of religion and media at Columbia University and volunteer spokesperson of Akshardham Temple, said that the stones used in the construction of this temple were imported from seven countries including Bulgaria, Italy, Greece, Turkey and India.
Trivedi said that if someone comes to Akshardham temple, he will see Brahmakund or stepwell in front of him which has water from 400 different rivers and lakes from all over the world. It also contains water from India’s Ganga and Yamuna rivers. He said, ‘There is a feeling of inclusivity which is felt by everyone who comes for darshan and worship.’
Jain spiritual leader Acharya Lokesh Muni, who visited the temple on the inauguration day, said that this temple takes the message of India to the rest of the world. He said that the message of the world is ‘one family’. India’s Consul General in New York Randhir Jaiswal gave a congratulatory message on behalf of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the construction of the temple.
