Devanjana Mukherjee, Khabri Media
The upcoming auspicious month will witness the inauguration of USA’s largest Hindu temple.
Pic Courtsey: Social Media
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Sanatan Dharma is not just a mere religion but a way of life, which is being proven everywhere. The scale in which it’s spreading is humongous. And why not? After all, Hinduism happens to be one of the oldest and most influential religions in the world. Its impact on the global spectrum is commendable, as it is not only a major world guide but also boasts of the longest, unbroken history thus dating back to 1500 B.C.
The word Hindu is derived from the Sanskrit word “Sindhu” (more specifically river Indus. The people define their community as those who believe in Vedas or those who follow the path of Dharma or Dhamma from all four Varnas at different stages of life (ashramas).
Originating in India, Hinduism is now followed by more than 1.2 billion people worldwide, almost 15 to 16% of the global population. The influence can now be witnessed in the U.S.A. as well as it is all set to inaugurate its largest Hindu temple on the 8th of October, 2023. Popularly known as BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham temple in Robbinsville, New Jersey, the structure will be the fourth largest in the world.
As per the report from ANI, the magnificent mahamandir is dedicated to Bhagwan Swaminarayan, a revered 19th-century Hindu spiritual guru. Built on the inspiration of his 5th spiritual successor Pramukh Swami Maharaj, the temple is constructed on a staggering 185 acres of land, and expertise of more than 12,500 volunteers hailing from various parts of North America.
BAPS Swamis of India and many volunteers aided in designing that underwent a meticulous construction process. Raw materials such as Italian Carrara marble, Indian pink stone, and limestone were sourced from various parts of Europe and shipped to India for their marvelous craftsmanship. The stone pieces were later sent to the USA where it was put together by 12,500 volunteers under the guidance of Indian artisans henceforth, creating the second largest Hindu temple that took almost 13 years of labor and patience.
The enormous complex consists of 13 shrines, a congregation hall, and many deity images like Radha-Krishna, Shiva-Parvati, Sita-Ram, etc. along with the lineage of Swaminarayan’s spiritual successor. A decorative mandap has also been built that contains carvings of elephants, peacocks, and other Hindu devotees from past eras. A mahashikhar is adorned with a golden pot called Kalash at the apex over which a dhwaja (flag) soars high symbolizing a sense of wholeness and excellence along with victory of good over evil. The inside of the megastructure comprises stone figurines of performing arts, music, and dance belonging to Indian heritage.
BAPS Swaminarayan temple’s week-long inauguration event will include the Dallas-area-based 50-person Akshar Band where they will perform 10 to 15 songs. It will be followed by five times a day arti (mangala arti, shanagar arti, rajabhoga arti, sandhya arti, and shayana arti) and prasadam distribution to all its devotees.
According to Rinkesh Desai and Akshar Patel of DFW, ” To me it’s a dream come true. It’s not about the size of the mandir. It’s about the inspiration the mandir brings. There’s a sense of pride that you’re a small part of building this. We’ve been fortunate to take part in all three of the openings.”
This is the fourth temple dedicated to Guru Pramukh Swami Maharaj of which two temples are situated in India. The BAPS Sanstha has constructed 1400 temples globally including in Canada, the UK, South Africa, Kenya, Australia, and Kenya. The Swaminarayan Akshardham temple in New Delhi, India holds a Guinness Book of World record for being the largest all-encompassing Hindu temple. This particular US-based Hindu temple is said to be the second-largest in the world after Angkor Wat temple in Cambodia, a UNESCO World Heritage, spanned over a staggering 500 acres.
