About Akshardham Temple Gandhinagar
Spanning a sprawling 23-acre campus in Gujarat's capital, the Akshardham Temple in Gandhinagar stands as a brilliant tribute to Indian art, architecture, culture, and spiritual values. Built under the inspiration of Pramukh Swami Maharaj, the spiritual leader of the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, the complex is dominated by a central monument constructed entirely from 6,000 tons of pink Rajasthani sandstone without the use of steel or iron reinforcement.
The central shrine houses a gold-leafed, 7-foot tall idol of Bhagwan Swaminarayan alongside revered spiritual successors. Surrounding the main shrine are beautifully manicured gardens (Sahasranand), intricate colonnades, and expansive thematic exhibition halls. Visitors can explore exhibitions detailing ancient Indian values, heroic life stories, and universal messages of peace through animatronics, light, and audio visuals.
As night falls, the complex transforms with the famous Sat-Chit-Anand Water Show, a multi-media spectacle incorporating light, lasers, water jets, and fire to portray Vedic stories about life and beyond.
History
Inaugurated on November 2, 1992, by HDH Pramukh Swami Maharaj, the construction of Gandhinagar's Akshardham Temple took over 13 years to complete. Thousands of skilled artisans and volunteers contributed millions of hours of labor to hand-carve the complex sandstone structures.
The temple's design adheres strictly to ancient Indian architectural texts (Spathya Shastras). Built entirely with interlocking stone techniques, the central monument rises 108 feet high, 131 feet wide, and 240 feet long, supported by 97 intricately carved pillars and decorated with 220 stone beams, 17 domes, and intricate floral and figurative carvings.
Throughout its history, Akshardham has remained a beacon of peace and resilience. Following a tragic terrorist attack in 2002, the campus reopened quickly, reaffirming its message of harmony, unity, and non-violence.