US Akshardham Temple: World’s 2nd-Largest Hindu Temple Outside India
Angkor Wat in Cambodia is the 1st largest Hindu temple outside India. Now the world will also witness the 2nd-Largest Hindu Temple outside India.
The Swaminarayan Akshardham temple in Robbinsville Township, New Jersey, is set to be inaugurated on October 8, 2023, and will open for visitors on October 18, according to BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha.
New Jersey’s Akshardham Temple is the world’s second-largest Hindu temple constructed outside India. The temple is an architectural marvel, measuring 255 feet in length, 345 feet in width, and 191 feet in height, spread across 183 acres.
It incorporates design elements from ancient Hindu scriptures and Indian culture, featuring 10,000 statues and statuettes, as well as carvings of Indian musical instruments and dance forms.
The temple includes one main shrine, 12 sub-shrines, 9 spire-like structures called shikhars, and 9 pyramidal shikhars. It consists of the largest elliptical dome of traditional stone architecture ever constructed, designed to last for a thousand years.
The construction of this temple was a massive initiative. The project involves over 12,500 volunteers from across the United States, guided by skilled artisans and dedicated volunteers from India. The temple structure and values belong to traditional Hindu temple architecture.
The temple is dedicated to Bhagwan Swaminarayan, a revered Hindu spiritual leader from the 19th century. The construction of the temple was inspired by the 5th spiritual successor, Saint Pramukh Swami Maharaj.
The construction project also incorporated sustainable practices into the temple’s design, such as a solar panel farm, fly ash concrete mix, and the planting of over 2 million trees worldwide.
The Swaminarayan Akshardham temple in Robbinsville Township, New Jersey, is a testament to the growing popularity and acceptance of Sanatan Dharma (Hinduism) around the world.
The fact that this magnificent temple is being built in the United States, a predominantly Christian country, is a significant development. It shows that the world is recognizing and appreciating the rich cultural and spiritual heritage of Hinduism.
The temple was built with the help of Indian highly-skilled artisans and volunteers from India. It shows that people are united by their faith and their desire to create something beautiful and meaningful.
The construction of this temple is a symbol of the growing influence of Sanatan Dharma in the world. It is also a sign of the increasing tolerance and understanding between different religions.
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This is just the beginning of a new era of cooperation and understanding between Hindus and people of other faiths. Sanatan Dharma will continue to play a positive role in the world, promoting peace, harmony, and universal well-being.
I am also happy to see that the world is respecting and embracing Sanatan Dharma in other ways as well. For example, yoga and Ayurveda, two ancient Hindu traditions, are now popular all over the world. India’s political power, growth mindset, clear intentions, and technology are also being admired and respected across the globe.
The construction of Hindu temples in Muslim countries like the UAE is a further sign of the growing acceptance and appreciation of Hinduism. I am hopeful that this trend will continue, and that Sanatan Dharma will play an even greater role in promoting peace and harmony in the world.
