Akshardham Temple Delhi: A Marvel of Art, Culture, and Spirituality

Akshardham Temple

📍 Akshardham, DelhiView map ›

🗓 Best Time To Visit:October to March, during cooler months.

⏰ Open Hours:9:30 AM to 6:30 PM. Closed on Mondays.

🏄 Things To Do:Explore the temple complex, Attend exhibitions, Participate in boat ride, Visit the garden of India.

💰 Budget:Free entry. Exhibitions and boat ride are chargeable.

👥 Traveller Types:Families, Solo Travellers, Spiritual Seekers, History Buffs.

🌟 Known For:Largest Hindu Temple, Incredible Architecture, Spiritual Harmony, Grand Exhibitions.

📍 Distances:From Delhi Railway Station - 12 km, From Indira Gandhi International Airport - 21 km.

🎫 Ticket Prices:Exhibition - INR 170 for adults, INR 100 for children, INR 125 for seniors. Boat ride - INR 170 per person.

📌 Dress Code:Modest and respectful clothing. No shorts or skirts.

📱 Photography:Not allowed inside the main temple complex.

♿ Accessibility:Wheelchair accessible, with facilities for differently-abled visitors.

If you are looking for a place that will mesmerize you with its beauty, enlighten you with its wisdom, and inspire you with its devotion, then you should definitely visit Akshardham Temple Delhi. Akshardham Temple Delhi is a spiritual complex and a cultural campus that showcases the essence and magnitude of India’s ancient architecture, traditions, and timeless spirituality.

It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that attracts millions of tourists every year. In this article, we will explore the attractions, features, activities, and facilities of Akshardham Temple Delhi. We will also provide you with some practical details such as timings, entry fee, location, and how to reach. We will also give you some tips and suggestions on how to make the most of your visit to Akshardham Temple Delhi and what other attractions are nearby.

Akshardham Temple Delhi: A Spiritual Complex and a Cultural Campus

Akshardham Temple Delhi is a magnificent structure that stands on the banks of the Yamuna river in the heart of the capital city. It is dedicated to Bhagwan Swaminarayan, the founder of the Swaminarayan sect of Hinduism. The word Akshardham means “the abode of the eternal” in Sanskrit.

The temple was built by the Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS), a socio-spiritual organization that follows the teachings of Bhagwan Swaminarayan. The temple was inaugurated by president of India late Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam in 2005.

Akshardham Temple Delhi is a masterpiece of art and culture that reflects the glory and diversity of India. It is made of pink sandstone and white marble and has no steel or concrete in its construction. It covers an area of 100 acres and has a height of 43 meters. It has 234 ornate pillars, 9 ornamental domes, 20 quadrangled shikhars, and over 20,000 statues of deities, saints, and sages. It also has intricate carvings, paintings, and sculptures that depict various scenes from Hindu mythology, history, and culture.

Akshardham Temple Delhi is not just a temple but a cultural campus that offers various attractions and activities for visitors of all ages and backgrounds.

Some of the attractions inside Akshardham Temple Delhi are:

The Mandir:

This is the main attraction of Akshardham Temple Delhi and the focal point of worship. It is a grand edifice that houses the idol of Bhagwan Swaminarayan and his successors. It also has idols of other Hindu deities such as Radha-Krishna, Sita-Ram, Lakshmi-Narayan etc. The mandir is open for darshan (viewing) from 9:30 am to 8 pm every day except on Mondays.

The Abhishek Mandap:

This is a sacred chamber where visitors can offer water to the idol of Bhagwan Swaminarayan and seek his blessings. The water is infused with herbs and flowers and symbolizes purity and devotion. The abhishek mandap is open from 9:30 am to 8 pm every day except on Mondays.

The Exhibitions:

These are three multimedia shows that present the life and teachings of Bhagwan Swaminarayan and the rich heritage of India. They are:

Sahajanand Darshan: This is a hall of values that depicts the moral values and principles of Bhagwan Swaminarayan through animatronics, dioramas, audio-visuals etc. It also showcases his miracles, service, renunciation etc.

Neelkanth Darshan: This is a giant screen film that narrates the story of Bhagwan Swaminarayan’s seven-year pilgrimage across India as a young ascetic named Neelkanth. It also captures the natural beauty and diversity of India.

Sanskruti Darshan: This is a cultural boat ride that takes visitors through 10,000 years of India’s history and culture. It also displays the contributions of India to various fields such as science, art, literature etc.

The Water Show: This is a spectacular show that combines water, fire, laser, sound, and light effects to create a stunning visual spectacle. It also narrates the story of Nachiketa, a young boy who learns the secret of immortality from Yama, the god of death. The water show takes place at 7:30 pm every day except on Mondays.

The Gardens: These are beautiful gardens that surround the temple complex and provide a serene and green environment for visitors to relax and enjoy. They also have various themes and features such as:

Bharat Upvan: This is a garden of India that displays the statues of India’s great personalities such as Mahatma Gandhi, Rabindranath Tagore, Rani Lakshmi Bai etc.

Yogi Hraday Kamal: This is a lotus-shaped garden that represents the heart of a yogi. It has petals that display the messages and quotes of Bhagwan Swaminarayan and his successors.

Nilkanth Abhishek Snan: This is a musical fountain that recreates the scene of Bhagwan Swaminarayan’s bath in the Mansarovar lake during his pilgrimage.

Yagnapurush Kund: This is a sunken garden that has a large step well and a musical fountain. It also has 108 gaumukhs (cow mouths) that symbolize the 108 names of Bhagwan Swaminarayan.

The Food Court: This is a place where visitors can enjoy delicious vegetarian food from various cuisines of India. It also has a bakery, a snack bar, and a souvenir shop. The food court is open from 11 am to 8 pm every day except on Mondays.

Akshardham Temple Delhi is a place that will leave you spellbound with its beauty, wisdom, and devotion. It is a place that will make you appreciate the rich and diverse heritage of India. It is also a place that will make you experience the joy and peace of spirituality.

How to Visit Akshardham Temple Delhi: Timings, Entry Fee, Location, and More

If you are planning to visit Akshardham Temple Delhi, here are some practical details that you need to know:

Timings: Akshardham Temple Delhi is open from 9:30 am to 8 pm every day except on Mondays. The last entry is at 6:30 pm. The timings for the various attractions inside the temple complex are as follows:

The Mandir: open for darshan from 9:30 am to 8 pm.

The Abhishek Mandap: open from 9:30 am to 8 pm.

The Exhibitions: open from 10 am to 7 pm.

The Water Show: starts at 7:30 pm.

The Gardens: open from 9:30 am to 8 pm.

The Food Court: open from 11 am to 8 pm.

Entry Fee:

Akshardham Temple Delhi does not charge any entry fee for the temple complex, the gardens, and the food court. However, there is a nominal charge for the exhibitions and the water show. The charges for different categories of visitors are as follows:

For Indians: Adults: INR 170 for the exhibitions and INR 80 for the water show.

Senior Citizens (above 65 years): INR 125 for the exhibitions and INR 80 for the water show.

Children (4 to 11 years): INR 100 for the exhibitions and INR 50 for the water show.

Children (below 4 years): free for both the exhibitions and the water show.

For Foreigners: Adults: INR 310 for the exhibitions and INR 150 for the water show.

Children (4 to 11 years): INR 200 for the exhibitions and INR 125 for the water show.

Children (below 4 years): free for both the exhibitions and the water show.

Location:

Akshardham Temple Delhi is located on NH-24, near Noida Mor, in New Delhi. Its address is NH-24, Akshardham Setu, New Delhi - 110092. It is easily identifiable by its majestic dome and spires that can be seen from a distance. It is also surrounded by a beautiful garden and a water canal that add to its charm.

How to Reach:

Akshardham Temple Delhi can be reached by different modes of transportation such as metro, bus, taxi, or auto-rickshaw. The nearest metro station is Akshardham Metro Station on Blue Line, which is just a few minutes walk from the temple complex.

The nearest bus stop is Akshardham Mandir Bus Stop, which is served by several buses that connect to different parts of Delhi. You can also take a taxi or an auto-rickshaw from any part of Delhi to reach Akshardham Temple Delhi. The approximate fare or time required will depend on the traffic and distance.

Tips and Suggestions for Visiting Akshardham Temple Delhi: Dos and Don’ts

To make your visit to Akshardham Temple Delhi more enjoyable and memorable, here are some tips and suggestions that you should follow:

Dos:

1. Do plan your visit in advance and check the timings and charges of the attractions that you want to see.

2. Do wear comfortable clothes and shoes that are suitable for walking and climbing stairs. Avoid wearing shorts, skirts, sleeveless tops etc. as they are not allowed inside the temple complex.

3. Do carry a valid photo ID proof such as Aadhaar card, PAN card, passport etc. as it may be required at the entry gate or at some attractions.

4. Do follow the rules and regulations of the temple complex such as maintaining silence, cleanliness, discipline etc. Respect the deities and the culture of the place.

5. Do enjoy the various attractions and activities that Akshardham Temple Delhi offers such as the mandir darshan, the abhishek mandap, the exhibitions, the water show etc. Learn about the life and teachings of Bhagwan Swaminarayan and the rich heritage of India.

Don’ts:

Don’t carry any restricted items such as weapons, explosives, flammable materials, alcohol, drugs, pets etc. inside the temple complex. You can deposit these items at the locker facility near the entrance gate.

1. Don’t carry any electronic items such as mobile phones, cameras, laptops etc. inside the temple complex. You can deposit these items at the cloakroom near the entrance gate. These items are not allowed as they may disturb the sanctity and serenity of the place.

2. Don’t miss the water show that takes place at 7:30 pm every day except on Mondays. It is a spectacular show that combines water, fire, laser, sound, and light effects to create a stunning visual spectacle. It also narrates the story of Nachiketa, a young boy who learns the secret of immortality from Yama, the god of death.

3. Don’t forget to visit the food court that offers delicious vegetarian food from various cuisines of India. It also has a bakery, a snack bar, and a souvenir shop. The food court is open from 11 am to 8 pm every day except on Mondays.

Also check out: Beautiful Akshardham Mandir (Temple) In Delhi: Timings, Prices, History

So, what are you waiting for? Plan your visit to Akshardham Temple Delhi today!

Akshardham Temple Reviews

Anand Menon

731 Followers

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We leave again to our last stop for the day – Akshardham Temple(no photos allowed, so I’ll make the description as detailed as I can). It was almost 5:30pm and that meant we’d miss the exhibition. Oh and before I forget, you are not allowed to carry anything into the temple. No mobiles, no cameras and not even a big handbag. So it’s better to leave your stuff in your car or hotel room or you’d have to waste another hour keeping and retrieving it from the cloak room. We didn’t have to waste that hour as we didn’t bring any such thing. As soon as we entered the temple complex, we rushed to the ticket counter and luckily made it in time for the last show. The first thing that strikes you when you go to an Akshardham temple is its beautiful architecture. With intricate patterns on marble and brilliant sculptures all around, it sure is a treat for the eyes.The exhibition starts off in a theatre where they show a short movie about Swaminarayan and how he gave up everything at 11 years of age and how he attained his spiritual excellence by 21 years. The movie ends and the entire crowd rushes into the exit to the next hall. This seems pretty funny as people are rushing to get the best seats. In the end, some people are left standing. As soon as this show ends, the people standing there rush and get the best seats. Rat race even here! :P But at least everyone is happy. Anyway, this room doesn’t exactly look like a room. This place has a huge tree with statues of many kids playing all around it. Some of them are on the tree and some are playing below it. There is a small lake and a set of seats in a semi-circle beyond it. There are a couple of statues of fishermen standing in the lake. Suddenly, the kid in the middle starts speaking. His hands move, so do his head, lips and everything else. He even blinks his eyes like a real kid. It is a robot which seems just like a real kid. Then the fishermen speak, move hands and even look at us. The whole scene is mesmerizing. It is a story of how the kid in the middle, Swaminarayan makes the fishermen give up fishing because it is a sin to take lives of creatures.Next we step into a corridor and see that it is raining there. Literally. There is even thunder rumbling and we see the front portion of a house. A small boy is walking out of the house and getting drenched in the rain. This one is a still statue but the scene is so real that if we move close to the house, we’ll also get drenched. We then walk through caves and the swami as a child walking through jungles and crossing rivers. The scenes are complete with trees and creepers and snakes. We cross a bridge over a stream and see the swami sitting on a rock in the flowing stream with snakes slithering next to him. Do not get unfazed – all that I’m describing are statues, not real snakes or people. These rooms depict the journey of Swaminarayan across India through the wilderness.After this we enter the open balcony of a village house. We see many life sized statues of people doing different activities. So basically, we have a bird’s eye view of the entire house from the top. Swaminarayan is teaching the inmates. He speaks, nods and blinks. As we look up, we see a blue sky painted. We really get the feel of being inside a village complete with people and everything. The next room is even more awesome. Swami is sitting on a chair and the whole village is sitting around listening to him speak. We can see the excitement on everyone’s faces. The statue next to Swami starts speaking and gesturing. Swami responds to him and gives everyone a few words of wisdom. And then he does something unpredictable. He stands up. He actually stands up! I was awestruck by the ingenious engineering that had gone behind all this. The scenes look so natural. You look to the left and see two women speaking in the village. You look to the right and see that a lady is closely watching the proceedings from behind a pillar. And then you feel that you are actually sitting in that village.After this, we enter a huge theatre. This place is filled with people – probably waiting for the hall to fill up. We happened to be last group, luckily, so the movie started as soon as we were in. It is a 40 minute documentary on the life of Swaminarayan. The kid in the movie acting as the Swami was really cute and innocent and felt apt for the role. After this was the boat ride. The boat is shaped like a giant paddle boat – without paddles. :P There is a chain and track along which the boat moves. This one is a still exhibition of the rich heritage of India and how India has contributed to the world. With this ended the 2 hour exhibition at Akshardham.

Siddhant Jain

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(Blog 6 in my series of blogs - Delhi Delight) We were attending a conference on Advances in Robotics, and both of us were least interested. Hence, we decided to tick off another item on our to visit list. One of the most popular tourist destinations in Delhi and an epitome of ancient culture and traditions, Akshardham Temple situated on the banks of River Yamuna is a sacred site for the Hindus. Both of us had heard of the grandeur of the temple, but had seen it only from a distance, never visited inside. Just like most of the places we visited, we arrived there just a few minutes before the ticket window for various shows within the temple closed. There was huge queue, as expected. We had to submit our phones and various other items at the entrance. Photography was not possible as phones were not allowed inside the temple premises. We decided that I would stand in the queue to submit our mobile phones, while she would go join the queue to buy us tickets. Since mobile phones would not be with us, it would not possible for us to contact each other once separated. Hence we decided on a meeting point. Even though both of us were sceptical of going different directions in a totally new place, it was the only way we could collect the tickets on time. Without watching the shows, the visit would have been incomplete. After about half an hour of waiting in the queue, and security checks, when I entered I found her easily. She was still standing at the ticket counter. On collecting the tickets, we proceeded to watch the shows. There were 4 shows in total. The first named, Sahajanand Darshan (Hall of Values) displayed incidents from Swaminarayan's life by the use of robots and other visual aids. It stressed on the importance of harmony and non violence which Swaminarayan, the main deity of Akshardham stood for. The second show was Nilkanth Darshan. It was a cinematic show, which showed us other various phases of Swaminarayan's life. The third was Sanskruti Vihar. It was a boat ride in an artificial canal through Indian history. It depicted life in ancient India. From the traditions to occupations, education to religion everything was covered. The contributions of many great men of the past was emphasised. All the three shows took about 2 hours to complete. The final show was the most awaited. We had heard a lot about it. The Musical Fountain. It as raining when we reached the large step well where the show happens. Since we had no phones, there was nothing to worry about. We watched the amazing Water Show completely drenched in rain. It went on for about half an hour. It was a completely different Musical Fountain SHow than any other I had seen. It was shown in the form of a story using characters of India's past and mythology. Combined with the light and sound effects, it was an enthralling experience. We didn't mind the rain much. Finally we went to the main temple where the deity of Swaminarayan was seated. It was well almost 10, and we were worried we wouldn't find a Metro. So we hurried, ran on the streets until we reached the Metro Station. Panting, as we reached the station, we were relieved to see that the Metro was still functional. We were under the wrong impression that Metro in Delhi is functional only until a little later than 10. We were wrong. Soaking wet, as we entered the Metro, we were glad to see it wasn't crowded. Found a seat easily. We hadn't had our dinner. But we were glad to have caught the train. It would have become very difficult if we were late.

Vikram Mn

18 Followers

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Once we got ready we took the luggage from my relatives place and started to Akshardam. It was a beautiful place but was heavily commercialized. What I like about temples is their sculptures but the temple hardly had any. With mosaic flooring and flood lights the place looked more a museum than temple to me. We partied that night with me having a couple of tequila shots and rest their own favorites. Nothing much to boast off. We settled in our home late night and got ready for our Agra trip the next day. I had a severe headache when I got up. I somehow managed and reached the bus just on time. All were old people from Tamil Nadu in the bus so we didn't have much fun. Good for me as I slept the whole journey. They had played Ek Tha Tiger in bus it seems, the rest of the guys were discussing how comic it was and teasing Balaji for wanting the coat which Salman was wearing.

Tejpal Choudhary

91 Followers

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Akshardham temple, Delhi – The glorious blend of art, architecture, learning, and devotion In need of a perfect combination of art, architecture combined with the various lessons of life?! One place that can give it all along with the right amount of devotion - Akshardham. You’ll not find this perfect blend of learning imparted by way of exhibits, anywhere else in the world. The temple complex boasts of a huge theatre for plays on various themes. They use the tools of non-violence, compassion, and honesty to propagate love across the world. One must not miss the boat ride that takes you through the achievements of Indian scientists and Rishis. The entry package also comes with a documentary film on the pilgrimage of the prime deity. One shouldn't miss the musical fountain show in any case. It is an extravaganza which still has lots to teach us about the art life around us. Not to forget the deliciously cooked umpteen food options in the canteen of the temple in Delhi.

Aditi Shukla

1684 Followers

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3. Akshardham Temple: Akshardham Temple is one of the most famous and talked about monuments situated at Noida, NCR at the banks of River Yamuna. Built in 2005 in a 100-acre land, it is the largest Hindu Temple in the world - not merely a structure of religious offerings, but a beautifully carved monument complete with its IMAX theatre, technological exhibitions, musical fountain, gardens and food court. It easily takes a day to cover every corner of the fabulous temple. Take a stroll along the Garden of India or Bharat Upavan, check out the bronze sculptures, intricate architecture, its sunken garden in the shape of a lotus, watch devotees take blessings with their offerings and rituals and more. You have to be there to believe it!