BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham: World's largest Hindu Temple in New Jersey

Utkarsh Classes Last Updated 08-01-2024

BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham: World's largest Hindu Temple in New Jersey

Place in News 10 min read

World’s largest Hindu Temple BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham will be inaugurated in New Jersey USA on 8 October. This will be the largest temple in the USA and the second largest after Angkor Wat in Cambodia.

The BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham in the little Robbinsville Township of New Jersey has been built by an army of more than 12,500 volunteers from across the US in over 12 years from 2011 to 2023.

BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham

The New Jersey branch of Akshardham measures 255 ft x 345 ft x 191 ft and spans over 183 acres and has been designed according to ancient Hindu scriptures and includes design elements from ancient Indian culture including 10,000 statues and statuettes, carvings of Indian musical instruments and dance forms.

The unique Hindu temple design includes one main shrine, 12 sub-shrines, nine shikhars (spire-like structures), and nine pyramidal shikhars. Akshardham houses the largest elliptical dome of traditional stone architecture ever constructed. It is designed to last a thousand years.
The four types of stone selected include limestone, pink sandstone, marble, and granite, which can withstand extreme heat and cold. Nearly two million cubic feet of stone was used in the construction and was sourced from different sites around the world, including limestone from Bulgaria and Turkey; Marble from Greece, Turkey and Italy; Granite from India and China; Sandstone from India and other decorative stones from Europe, Asia, Latin America.
The Brahma Kund, a traditional Indian stepwell, contains water from over 300 bodies of water from around the world, including the holy rivers of India and all 50 states of the US. Sustainable practices of BAPS include a solar panel farm, a fly ash concrete mix, and the planting of over two million trees worldwide in the past few decades.

Temple	Place	Country	Comment
Angkor Wat	Angkor	Cambodia	The Guinness World Records acknowledge it as the biggest religious structure globally. Initially built in the 12th century to pay tribute to Maha Vishnu, the ultimate deity of Vaishnavism for the Khmer Empire, it was later transformed into a Buddhist temple by the end of the same century. Consequently, it is also known as a "Hindu-Buddhist" temple.
Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple	Tiruchirapalli, Tamil Nadu	India	The Ranganathaswamy Temple in Srirangam is the largest temple in India dedicated to Maha Vishnu, the Supreme deity of Vaishnavism.
Sri Lakshmi Narayani Devi Temple, Sripuram	Thirumalaikodi	India	The Lakshmi Narayani temple in 'Sripuram' has a pure gold-covered Vimanam and Ardha Mandapam. It houses the deity Sri Lakshmi Narayani, the female consort/wife of Narayana.
Prem Mandir, Vrindavan	Vrindavan	India	There is a Hindu temple named Prem Mandir, which honors Radha Krishna and Sita Ram, the incarnations of Maha Vishnu, the supreme deity of Vaishnavism. This temple is situated in Vrindavan, Mathura district, Uttar Pradesh, India, and it was founded by Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj, who was the fifth Original Jagadguru.
Besakih Temple	Bali	Indonesia	Located on the slopes of Mount Agung in eastern Bali, Indonesia, the Besakih Temple is an important and holy pura complex. It is the largest and most significant temple of the Hindu religion in Bali and is part of a series of Balinese temples.
Belur Math, Ramakrishna temple	Howrah	India	The Belur Math, also known as the Belur Mutt, serves as the main center for the Ramakrishna Math and Mission, which was established by Swami Vivekananda, a prominent follower of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. Positioned on the western bank of the Hooghly River in Belur, West Bengal, India, it stands as one of the most important institutions in Calcutta. This magnificent temple is the core of the Ramakrishna Movement and is recognized for its unique architectural style that blends Hindu, Christian, and Islamic elements, symbolizing the harmony of all religions.
Prambanan, Trimurti temple	Yogyakarta	Indonesia	The Candi Prambanan, also known as the Candi Rara Jonggrang, is a Hindu temple complex dating back to the 9th century. It is located in Central Java, Indonesia and is devoted to Trimurti. The complex contains shrines dedicated to Maha Vishnu, Brahma, Shiva, and their consorts. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is the largest Hindu temple complex in Indonesia, and one of the largest in Southeast Asia. Its architecture is characterized by tall and pointed structures, which are typical of Hindu temple design.
BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir	Toronto	Canada	This temple took 18 months to build and is made up of 24,000 hand-carved pieces of Italian Carrara marble, Turkish limestone, and Indian pink stone. It's the largest temple of its kind in Canada and was constructed based on guidelines found in ancient Hindu scriptures.
Batu Caves	Gombak	Malaysia	The Batu Caves temple complex is an impressive sight, towering nearly 100 meters above the ground. The complex includes three main caves and a handful of smaller ones. The largest cave, known as Cathedral Cave or Temple Cave, boasts a lofty ceiling and houses intricate Hindu shrines. These shrines depict the story of Lord Murugan's triumph over the demon Soorapadman.
Shri Shiva Vishnu Temple, Victoria	Victoria	Australia	This suburb is home to the Shri Shiva Vishnu Hindu Temple, which happens to be the largest Hindu temple in Victoria. The temple focuses on the worship of Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu, who are considered the presiding deities of two major streams in the Hindu ritualistic tradition.
Shri Swaminarayan Mandir	Karachi	Pakistan	The Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, located in Karachi, is a Hindu temple that holds a significant position as the only Swaminarayan temple in Pakistan. In April 2004, the temple celebrated its 150th anniversary, which is a noteworthy milestone. Interestingly, it is not only Hindus who visit the temple, but also adherents of Islam, which adds to its prominence. Additionally, there is a sacred cowshed within the temple premises. The temple is situated in the heart of a Hindu neighborhood in Karachi.