Akshardham Temple / Swaminarayan Temple, Delhi City - Timings, History, Best Time to Visit

At a distance of 10 km from New Delhi Railway Station, Akshardham Temple or Swaminarayan Temple is located on the banks of River Yamuna near Nizamuddin Bridge in Delhi. The temple is included in the list of Seven Wonders of the 21st Century by the prestigious Reader's Digest magazine. It is one of best built temples in India and among must visit tourist places in Delhi. It also has been listed in the 2009 edition of the Guinness World Records book as the largest Hindu temple in the world.

Akshardham Temple is dedicated to Lord Swaminarayan. Akshardham means the adobe of the supreme lord and the temple is a fine example of the Hindu architecture. The complex is the second Akshardham complex in the country after the one at Gandhinagar in Gujarat.
The building was inspired and moderated by Pramukh Swami Maharaj who was the spiritual leader BAPS community. It was inaugurated in November 2005 by the President, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam.

Spread over 100 acres, the temple complex is one of the most beautiful structures in India. The temple is a complex of many small structures with the main monument built according to Vaastu Shastra. The main monument is made of Rajasthani pink sandstone and Italian Carrara Marble. Built with earthquake-resistant provisions, its interior is bright and air conditioned. It is 141 feet high, 316 feet wide and about 370 feet long supported by 234 pillars with floral carvings and also has 11 huge mandapas (domes) and decorated arches.

There are over 20,000 statues of Hindu gods and goddesses. The temple also features the Gajendra Pith at its base; it contains 148 life sized elephants in total weighing a 3000 tons. Under the temple's central dome lies the 11-foot high murti of Swaminarayan seated in abhayamudra. The temple also houses the statues of Sita Ram, Radha Krishna, Shiv Parvati and Lakshmi Narayan.

Apart from the main temple, there are many attractions spread across the 100 acre premises of the temple. There is an art gallery, musical fountain and an IMAX theater where visitors can see film based on the life of Swaminarayan. A 12-minute indoor boat ride describing India's achievements over the years takes the visitors to the theater. Akshardham also has two huge exhibition halls where one is a venue of sound and light show depicting the beginning and end of the world according to Hinduism. Another major attraction in the temple complex is the World Peace monument.

Cameras and camera phones are not allowed inside the temple complex.

Timings: 9.30 AM to 8 PM. Closed on Monday.

Ticket for 3 Exhibitions: Rs.145 for Adults, Rs.125 for Senior Citizen and Rs.100 for Children above 4 years.

Water Show Fee (at 6:45 PM): Rs.80 for Person and Rs.50 for Children above 4 years