AKSHARDHAM MANDIR, NEW DELHI
Monday closed. Tue-Sunday Timings: Temple – 9 AM – 9 PM; Exhibition – 11 AM – 9 PM
Things Allowed: Water, Hand-held Purse.
Things not allowed: Bags, eatables, mobiles, cameras. Deposition counter available.
The metallic objects like belts, coins etc. are momentarily removed and returned back.
Parking: Adequate – (guess) more than 500 cars and 50 buses!!
Nearest: Bus-stop – 0.5 km far at Noida Mod Flyover. “Pre-paid auto stand” is nearby only.
Dedicated to the Swami Narayan God, the Akshardham Temple is made in the Gujrati-Rajwara architectural style. If Taj Mahal is kavita (poetry) in marble, then Akshardham Temple is a pooja (prayer) in light-pink sand-stone. It is a must-visit place for seekers of spirituality, craftsmanship and tranquility. It took 7000 artisans nearly 5 years to construct it. The Swami Narayan sect has temples in London, Chicago and of course in Ahmedabad where the infamous terrorist attack had taken place. Natutrally, the security has always remained beefed up since then. The message delivered is of simplicity in life, respect and love for all and for search for inner beauty and strength.
[Incidentally, the Bachchan Family, Nandas (In-laws of Bachchans and owner of Escorts) and Amar Singh had visited in the morning of the same day, as I had chosen.]
The complex can be broadly divided into three: The temple, the exhibition and the other facilities.
TEMPLE
The central dome is erected on a high pedestal and has four doors. The statue of Lord Swami Narayan radiantly faces in the direction of the on-lookers from the East door. The statue, 11 foot tall and over 2 tons in weight, is made of metal and then gilded. The articles of Lord are shown in glass cases behind the statue. These include: slippers, footprints, etc. Colored statues of Sita-Ram and Radha-Krishna are also in the vicinity, as well as wall-paintings depicting the Swami Narayan’s biography. The parikrama (walk-around) can be done inside the dome as well as outside it. The Temple is surrounded on the southern side by a pond with 108 gau-mukhs (Heads of cows denoting the 108 rivers of India) offering water in it. On the other side of this pond, is another enclosure where offerings are made to Swami’s statue and prashad (holy-alms) is received. This is a very beautiful arrangement, as it keeps the surroundings clean from unnecessary flowers and prashad strewn over the floor as is the case in most temples.
EXHIBITION
The exhibition depicts the message and life of Swami Narayan. It is so artistically and technically superb that one wonders all the while if one is in India and that too in a temple. Indeed, 3D animations surround sound, moving Hubots, temperature and humidity simulators… The exhibition can be watched with the shoes on. There is a ticket of Rs.75 for children below 12 and elders above 65, while it is Rs.125 for adults. The exhibition is in three stages:
The Light and Sound Show Hall: 40 minutes
It comprises of four or five sittings of some 7 minutes each. The first entry is done in batches of 50 each, every 8 or 10 minutes, and the same batch moves uniformly inside the hall together. The theme is the life of Swami by the media of dynamic exhibits, light & sound show. Honestly, words are useless to describe the beautiful effects generated and how they affect the sub-conscious mind…
The cinema: 40 minutes
A 1000 seater hall shows a very touching and moving tale of Swami Narayan’s life and the message of BAPS – the society which is entrusted to forward the values among society. By the time one movie-show ends, enough batches of the previous hall-show have not gathered and hence one may have to wait initially for the film to start.
The Boat-Ride through Indian Civilization: 10 minutes
Now, there is nothing like this I had ever envisioned, leave alone having seen!! The ride takes place inside a mechanical driven and auto-piloted boat (batch of some 18 people at one time) inside an underground ring-shaped water-canal and on both banks are the stills and images of the vast and ancient Indian culture. The theme is the advances Indian civilizations made in its past and how we should further add onto it. There are stills from village-life, Panchayat Raj (Rural Democracy) and Vaastu art in India in 5000 BC. Hubots of many swamis and rishis (sainta and savants) are shown expounding on the mathematical, medical and astronomical treatises. The entire gamut of Indian culture from Ajanta Caves to Bharat Natyam (dance form), from saints to singers and from science to spirituality is well-illustrated and made life-like.
Did you know that Indians were the first to discover the following?
Numerals, significance of 0 (Aryabhatta),
Trigonometry, root of quadratic equation,
Solar system and planetary motion (Aryabhatta had stated what Copernicus said much later.),
Surgery (Sushruta and Shalya) and herbology (Anesthesia was known to Indian doctors millenias earlier.),
Designs of airplanes and buildings (Vaastu),
Unique smith’s work (Ashokan Pillar is rust-proof but we still don’t know why??)
Gravity (Even I was surprised that a rishi (saint) had stated the same principles of gravity much before Newton, by having observed the same phenomena as he had).
Martial Arts (It is a known fact that South Indian martial artists had taught Chinese scholars centuries earlier of this. Similarly, a Bengali scholar was invited in Himalayas to establish what came to be later known as Tibetanism)
LIFE OF SWAMI NARAYAN BHAGWAN
He was born in 1781 in a Brahman family in Chhapiya, 60 kms from Ayodhya (Uttar Pradesh). Taught by his father, who had later shifted to Ayodhya, and many saints and pujaris, he soon mastered the Vedas and Upnashidas.
At the age of mere 11, he did grih-tyaga (left home) and offered himself to the path of nature and enlightenment. He left in a stormy rainy night with nothing more than a loin-cloth; and swam across the flooded Saryu to leave Ayodhya far behind before morning. He called himself “Neelkanth” on this journey. He reached Har-ki-pairi (Haridwar) and followed Ganga upwards to Kedarnath. From there onwards he reached Badrinath across the Valley of Flowers. Despite the urges of the Pujari there, he left for Kailash Mansarovar when it was the onslaught of winter season – throughout all this barefooted, and with no woolens!! From Kailash, he crossed the mighty Kali River and traveled across the deepest ridge in the world, of Annapurna Range in Nepal. Here he perfected the toughest Yoga aasan –Ashtang Aasan and did penance. He finally reached Assam and humbled a few Tantriks (Practitioners of occult science) in Kamakhya Mandir and then toured further eastwards in the hills of Nagaland and Manipur.
Like this he traveled all alone throughout the Indian peninsula’s coast – and finally reached on 21 July 1999 at Lochkam, Gujrat. His mastery of yoga and divine presence awed the disciples of Swami Ramananda Ashram and they invited him to the Ashram. Swami Ramananda, who was not there then, was well-known in the region for his devotion and services for the poor and hence Swami Narayan agreed to this proposal and thus halted his mammoth 12000 kms long journey. He was 14 then. He did all the rituals in the Ashram as a devotee and when finally the two Swamis met, there was all happiness and blessings all around. Swami Ramananda told his followers that the person he often alluded to as the God who was destined to his Ashram, has finally arrived!
Swami Ramananda offered his chair and duties to Swami Narayan when he turned 25, and left. Swami Narayan then served the needy and established hope in the region. He died in 1830, at the age of 49 years.
OTHER FACILITIES
There is a free check-up clinic run by BAPS society and a large Bhojan-griha with diverse palates in mind from Dosa and paratha to Burgers, Pizzas and chatpatas. There is also another huge hall with all kinds of souvenirs like books, cassettes, CDs, statues, mandirs, watches, clocks, incense-sticks, clothes and garments, food-items, beads, shawls etc. Besides, there are small snacks counters in such locations as near the queuing positions in front of each hall.
PERSONAL TIP!!
Go on a week-day and see the entire temple-complex within 4 hours, without a hassle. Best time is to reach there is at 10 am and first see the temple and then the the exhibition which begins at 11 am. Alternatively, see the temple one day and the exhibition some other day. Whatever you choose, the point is that trying to see the exhibition on a holiday is foolhardiness and also a big strain on temple’s volunteers.
Monday closed. Tue-Sunday Timings: Temple – 9 AM – 9 PM; Exhibition – 11 AM – 9 PM
Things Allowed: Water, Hand-held Purse.
Things not allowed: Bags, eatables, mobiles, cameras. Deposition counter available.
The metallic objects like belts, coins etc. are momentarily removed and returned back.
Parking: Adequate – (guess) more than 500 cars and 50 buses!!
Nearest: Bus-stop – 0.5 km far at Noida Mod Flyover. “Pre-paid auto stand” is nearby only.
Dedicated to the Swami Narayan God, the Akshardham Temple is made in the Gujrati-Rajwara architectural style. If Taj Mahal is kavita (poetry) in marble, then Akshardham Temple is a pooja (prayer) in light-pink sand-stone. It is a must-visit place for seekers of spirituality, craftsmanship and tranquility. It took 7000 artisans nearly 5 years to construct it. The Swami Narayan sect has temples in London, Chicago and of course in Ahmedabad where the infamous terrorist attack had taken place. Natutrally, the security has always remained beefed up since then. The message delivered is of simplicity in life, respect and love for all and for search for inner beauty and strength.
[Incidentally, the Bachchan Family, Nandas (In-laws of Bachchans and owner of Escorts) and Amar Singh had visited in the morning of the same day, as I had chosen.]
The complex can be broadly divided into three: The temple, the exhibition and the other facilities.
TEMPLE
The central dome is erected on a high pedestal and has four doors. The statue of Lord Swami Narayan radiantly faces in the direction of the on-lookers from the East door. The statue, 11 foot tall and over 2 tons in weight, is made of metal and then gilded. The articles of Lord are shown in glass cases behind the statue. These include: slippers, footprints, etc. Colored statues of Sita-Ram and Radha-Krishna are also in the vicinity, as well as wall-paintings depicting the Swami Narayan’s biography. The parikrama (walk-around) can be done inside the dome as well as outside it. The Temple is surrounded on the southern side by a pond with 108 gau-mukhs (Heads of cows denoting the 108 rivers of India) offering water in it. On the other side of this pond, is another enclosure where offerings are made to Swami’s statue and prashad (holy-alms) is received. This is a very beautiful arrangement, as it keeps the surroundings clean from unnecessary flowers and prashad strewn over the floor as is the case in most temples.
EXHIBITION
The exhibition depicts the message and life of Swami Narayan. It is so artistically and technically superb that one wonders all the while if one is in India and that too in a temple. Indeed, 3D animations surround sound, moving Hubots, temperature and humidity simulators… The exhibition can be watched with the shoes on. There is a ticket of Rs.75 for children below 12 and elders above 65, while it is Rs.125 for adults. The exhibition is in three stages:
The Light and Sound Show Hall: 40 minutes
It comprises of four or five sittings of some 7 minutes each. The first entry is done in batches of 50 each, every 8 or 10 minutes, and the same batch moves uniformly inside the hall together. The theme is the life of Swami by the media of dynamic exhibits, light & sound show. Honestly, words are useless to describe the beautiful effects generated and how they affect the sub-conscious mind…
The cinema: 40 minutes
A 1000 seater hall shows a very touching and moving tale of Swami Narayan’s life and the message of BAPS – the society which is entrusted to forward the values among society. By the time one movie-show ends, enough batches of the previous hall-show have not gathered and hence one may have to wait initially for the film to start.
The Boat-Ride through Indian Civilization: 10 minutes
Now, there is nothing like this I had ever envisioned, leave alone having seen!! The ride takes place inside a mechanical driven and auto-piloted boat (batch of some 18 people at one time) inside an underground ring-shaped water-canal and on both banks are the stills and images of the vast and ancient Indian culture. The theme is the advances Indian civilizations made in its past and how we should further add onto it. There are stills from village-life, Panchayat Raj (Rural Democracy) and Vaastu art in India in 5000 BC. Hubots of many swamis and rishis (sainta and savants) are shown expounding on the mathematical, medical and astronomical treatises. The entire gamut of Indian culture from Ajanta Caves to Bharat Natyam (dance form), from saints to singers and from science to spirituality is well-illustrated and made life-like.
Did you know that Indians were the first to discover the following?
Numerals, significance of 0 (Aryabhatta),
Trigonometry, root of quadratic equation,
Solar system and planetary motion (Aryabhatta had stated what Copernicus said much later.),
Surgery (Sushruta and Shalya) and herbology (Anesthesia was known to Indian doctors millenias earlier.),
Designs of airplanes and buildings (Vaastu),
Unique smith’s work (Ashokan Pillar is rust-proof but we still don’t know why??)
Gravity (Even I was surprised that a rishi (saint) had stated the same principles of gravity much before Newton, by having observed the same phenomena as he had).
Martial Arts (It is a known fact that South Indian martial artists had taught Chinese scholars centuries earlier of this. Similarly, a Bengali scholar was invited in Himalayas to establish what came to be later known as Tibetanism)
LIFE OF SWAMI NARAYAN BHAGWAN
He was born in 1781 in a Brahman family in Chhapiya, 60 kms from Ayodhya (Uttar Pradesh). Taught by his father, who had later shifted to Ayodhya, and many saints and pujaris, he soon mastered the Vedas and Upnashidas.
At the age of mere 11, he did grih-tyaga (left home) and offered himself to the path of nature and enlightenment. He left in a stormy rainy night with nothing more than a loin-cloth; and swam across the flooded Saryu to leave Ayodhya far behind before morning. He called himself “Neelkanth” on this journey. He reached Har-ki-pairi (Haridwar) and followed Ganga upwards to Kedarnath. From there onwards he reached Badrinath across the Valley of Flowers. Despite the urges of the Pujari there, he left for Kailash Mansarovar when it was the onslaught of winter season – throughout all this barefooted, and with no woolens!! From Kailash, he crossed the mighty Kali River and traveled across the deepest ridge in the world, of Annapurna Range in Nepal. Here he perfected the toughest Yoga aasan –Ashtang Aasan and did penance. He finally reached Assam and humbled a few Tantriks (Practitioners of occult science) in Kamakhya Mandir and then toured further eastwards in the hills of Nagaland and Manipur.
Like this he traveled all alone throughout the Indian peninsula’s coast – and finally reached on 21 July 1999 at Lochkam, Gujrat. His mastery of yoga and divine presence awed the disciples of Swami Ramananda Ashram and they invited him to the Ashram. Swami Ramananda, who was not there then, was well-known in the region for his devotion and services for the poor and hence Swami Narayan agreed to this proposal and thus halted his mammoth 12000 kms long journey. He was 14 then. He did all the rituals in the Ashram as a devotee and when finally the two Swamis met, there was all happiness and blessings all around. Swami Ramananda told his followers that the person he often alluded to as the God who was destined to his Ashram, has finally arrived!
Swami Ramananda offered his chair and duties to Swami Narayan when he turned 25, and left. Swami Narayan then served the needy and established hope in the region. He died in 1830, at the age of 49 years.
OTHER FACILITIES
There is a free check-up clinic run by BAPS society and a large Bhojan-griha with diverse palates in mind from Dosa and paratha to Burgers, Pizzas and chatpatas. There is also another huge hall with all kinds of souvenirs like books, cassettes, CDs, statues, mandirs, watches, clocks, incense-sticks, clothes and garments, food-items, beads, shawls etc. Besides, there are small snacks counters in such locations as near the queuing positions in front of each hall.
PERSONAL TIP!!
Go on a week-day and see the entire temple-complex within 4 hours, without a hassle. Best time is to reach there is at 10 am and first see the temple and then the the exhibition which begins at 11 am. Alternatively, see the temple one day and the exhibition some other day. Whatever you choose, the point is that trying to see the exhibition on a holiday is foolhardiness and also a big strain on temple’s volunteers.
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