Swaminarayan Akshardham
Akshardham in Robbinsville, New Jersey
Religion
AffiliationHinduism
DeitySwaminarayan,
Radha Krishna,
Rama-Sita,
Shiva-Parvati
Location
LocationRobbinsville, Mercer County, New Jersey, U.S.
Geographic coordinates40°15′15″N 74°34′40″W / 40.25417°N 74.57778°W / 40.25417; -74.57778
Architecture
Type
Creator
InscriptionsSpiritual-Cultural Complex
Website
usa.akshardham.org

BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham in Robbinsville, New Jersey, is a 183-acre (74.1-hectare) Hindu mandir (temple) complex that encompasses the Akshardham mandir, a traditional temple, a welcome center, museum, and event space.[1] Following the opening of the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in 2014,[2] the Akshardham mandir was inaugurated on October 8, 2023 as the world’s 2nd largest Hindu temple.[3][4] The temple stands 191 feet (58 m) high and is situated 99 km south of New York City.[3]

BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir

The BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Robbinsville in Central New Jersey is a Hindu place of worship built by the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha and consecrated by Pramukh Swami Maharaj. The BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, led by Mahant Swami Maharaj, is a denomination of the Swaminarayan branch of Hinduism. The mandir is built of hand-carved Italian Carrara marble, Indian pink stone and limestone. The mandir was constructed according to guidelines outlined in ancient Vedas, or Hindu scriptures. The mandir is open daily to visitors and for worship (darshan). In addition to the mandir, the complex includes a congregation hall.[5]

Mandir and daily rituals

The mandir is a shikarbaddha mandir, built according to principles laid out in the Shilpa Shastras, Hindu texts prescribing standards of sacred architecture.[6] Within the mandir, murtis, the sacred images of the deities, have been consecrated. The central shrine holds the murtis of Swaminarayan and Gunatitanand Swami, together worshipped as Akshar-Purushottam Maharaj. Similarly, different shrines hold other murtis, including Radha and Krishna; Shiva and Parvati; Sita and Ram; Hanuman; Ganapati; and the lineage of BAPS gurus who are Swaminarayan's spiritual successors.[7]

According to Hindu beliefs, once the divine has been invoked in a murti, it becomes an embodiment of the Divine.[8] Accordingly, Swaminarayan swamis, or monks, offer devotional worship to the deities throughout the day. Before dawn, they awaken the deities by singing prabhatiya (morning hymns). The deities are then bathed and offered food and garments depending on the time of the day and season.[9] Food that has been offered to the deities is considered sanctified and distributed to the devotees as prasadam.[9] Aarti, a ritual where devotees sing the glory of God while a lighted wick is circulated before the murtis, is performed five times a day and named mangala aarti, shanagar aarti, rajabhoga aarti, sandhya aarti and shayana aarti, respectively. Finally, swamis adorn the murtis with night garments and ask the deities to retire for the night.[9]

Construction

The BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Robbinsville, New Jersey was first proposed and envisioned by Pramukh Swami Maharaj in 1997 as a part of Swaminarayan Akshardham in North America.[10] The mandir's construction commenced in 2010. The mandir was built in the Nagaradi style using 68,000 cubic feet of Italian Carrara marble. The marble obtained from quarries in Europe was shipped to Rajasthan, India where hundreds of artisans carved the stones. After the finished pieces of stone were assembled in workshops, engineers sequentially numbered the pieces and shipped them to Robbinsville. Upon their arrival, the pieces were organized using the numbering system to facilitate the mandir's construction.[10]

A decorative mandap, or enclosure, was built around the mandir to shield it from harsh weather and facilitate its year-round use. The structure is 87 feet wide, 133 feet long, and 42 feet high.[11] The entrance to the mandap, called the Mayur Dwar, contains carvings depicting peacocks, elephants, and celebrated Hindu devotees of past eras.

The mandir was constructed primarily through the efforts of artisans and volunteers who provided an estimated 4.7 million human hours.[10] Volunteers engaged in various tasks during the construction process, including design and engineering, carving coordination & stone shipping, site preparation, lighting and electrical wiring, polishing, cleaning the assembled marble, tent-building, meal preparation, and offering medical services.[11]

Opening

The mandir was officially opened to the public on August 10, 2014, after the murtis were consecrated in the presence of Pramukh Swami Maharaj and senior swamis of BAPS.[12] A number of dignitaries were present during the opening ceremony, including New Jersey Senator Cory Booker, Maryland Rep. Steny Hoyer, Pennsylvania Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick, New Jersey Rep. Frank Pallone, New Jersey Attorney General John Jay Hoffman, and Indian Consul General Dnyaneshwar Mulay.[12] The opening was part of a three-day celebration and featured a grand yagna in which participants prayed for world peace and a women's cultural program focused on interfaith harmony.[13] Over 20,000 visitors participated in the various events.[11] An expansive Shayona Cafe opened in June 2022, serving gourmet South Indian and North Indian cuisine.

Akshardham mandir

The Akshardham mandir is the largest Hindu mandir in the United States and has been described as the second-largest Hindu mandir in the world.[3][14] The mandir houses 13 shrines dedicated to various Hindu deities. [15][16]

Architecture

The Akshardham mandir was built according to the ancient Hindu scriptures describing architecture and design.[15][16] Various stones including marble from Greece, Turkey, and Italy; pink sandstone from Rajasthan; granite from India; and limestone from Bulgaria and Turkey were used in its construction.[15][17]

Between 2011 and 2023, over 12,500 people volunteered to build the mandir.[14][18][19] Volunteers carved and installed about 2 million cubic feet of stone, equating to about 4.7 million hours of work.[20] The mandir spans 255 feet in length, 345 feet in width, and rises to a height of 191 feet. It has nine shikhars and four characteristic domes at the top of the mandir.[1]

The Akshardham mandir has the largest constructed elliptical dome of a traditional stone mandir, houses more than 10,000 statues, statuettes, and carved motifs of Indian music and dance forms.[15][16][20] Carvings of all 108 Bharatanatyam poses are depicted throughout the mandir for the first time in one structure.[1]

First pillar installation

The installation ceremony of the first marble pillar of the Akshardham mandir took place on September 4, 2017. The celebration was marked with tours of the complex and cultural programs culminating with the Vedic ceremony in the presence of Mahant Swami Maharaj.[21]

Inauguration ceremony

To celebrate the completion of the Akshardham, BAPS hosted a three-month-long inaugural celebration called, "Festival of Inspirations."[22] On October 8, 2023, Mahant Swami Maharaj performed the "Pran-Prathistha ceremony"[23] and formally inaugurated the mandir. [24][25] The inauguration was joined by Delaware Governor John Carney and Congressman Steny Hoyer.[25]

Controversy

On May 11, 2021, six workers involved in the construction filed suit in federal court alleging the temple administrators violated labor laws. In relation to this, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Labor, and Department of Homeland Security visited the site on "court-authorized law enforcement activity."[26][27] The lawsuit alleges wage theft, forced labor, and human trafficking,[28] and may be the largest forced-labor lawsuit brought in the U.S. since 1995.[26] The suit alleges that over 200 Indian men, most of them members of the Dalit caste, were brought to the U.S. to do dangerous manual labor for 13 hours per day, for compensation of only $450 per month, $400 of which was paid to their accounts in India.[26] It further alleges that their passports were taken and that they were confined to the compound under constant surveillance.[28] Spokespersons for BAPS said that the allegations would be shown to be without merit.[29]

On July 13, 2023, over two dozen of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit against BAPS withdrew their names from the case, alleging that a US based lawyer named Swati Sawant had coerced them into making the complaint as part of a conspiracy to delay the construction of the temple.[30] The former plaintiffs allege that they were coerced with both threats of imprisonment and promises of US citizenship and large sums of money for them and their families. The withdrawal of the lawsuit was announced by Rajasthan High Court Advocate Aaditya SB Son, through labour unions Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh and Patthar Gadhai Sangh.[31][32][33] The press release by Advocate Aditya SB Soni claims that there exists affidavits, interviews, and statements proving the veracity of the plaintiffs claims.[34]

Charitable initiatives

Since 2012, BAPS Charities has hosted charitable events at the Robbinsville mandir, such as health fairs and seminars led by volunteer medical professionals. Donations collected from annual walk-a-thons have supported humanitarian causes, like planting 300,000 trees to support the Nature Conservancy's initiative to plant 1 billion trees by 2025.[35][36]

During the COVID-19 global pandemic, BAPS Charities has provided relief and assistance worldwide.[37][38][39] On March 29, 2020, all six BAPS shikharbaddha mandirs in North America broadcast a special mahapuja performed by the swamis to pray on behalf of all those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Over 12,000 families in North America participated.[40][41]

Within one month of the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, 5,500 N95 face masks were donated to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in Hamilton and New Brunswick, Capital Health Hospitals, Penn Medicine at Princeton Medical Center and Robbinsville Township and other medical organizations throughout New Jersey.[42] Over 4,000 hot meals were served to first responders in New York and New Jersey, including Robbinsville Township Police Department and Fire Department and Saint Francis Medical Center.[43] BAPS Charities delivered care packages to seniors in New Jersey.[44] A food drive was also organized to collect non-perishable food items for the Robbinsville Township Food Pantry and NJ Rise.[45]

On April 30, 2021, BAPS Charities hosted a vaccination drive in conjunction with Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital at the mandir.[46] US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy praised BAPS Charities for hosting vaccination clinics at mandirs which increased accessibility for the elderly.[47][48]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "The largest Hindu temple on American soil will soon open its doors". Washington Post. 2023-09-29. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2023-11-03.
  2. ↑ "A Look At The New, Massive Hindu Temple Gracing New Jersey". HuffPost. 2014-08-23. Retrieved 2023-11-03.
  3. 1 2 3 "Akshardham Temple, billed to be second-largest in world, inaugurated in US". Tribune India.
  4. ↑ "Largest Hindu Temple Outside India Inaugurated In New Jersey". NDTV.com. Retrieved 2023-11-03.
  5. ↑ Mangalnidhidas, Sadhu (2019). Sacred architecture and experience: BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Robbinsville, New Jersey. Swaminarayan Aksharpith. ISBN 978-19-4746-101-7.
  6. ↑ Das, Mukundcharan (2005). Hindu Rites and Rituals. Aksharpith. p. 7. ISBN 81-7526-356-3.
  7. ↑ Kim, Hanna (2001). "Being Swaminarayan: The Ontology and Significance of Belief in the Construction of a Gujarati Diaspora". Columbia University Press. 347–349.
  8. ↑ Nagendra, Kumar Singh (2000). Encyclopaedia of Hinduism. ISBN 8174881689.
  9. 1 2 3 Brady Williams, Raymond (2001). An Introduction to Swaminarayan Hinduism. Cambridge Press. ISBN 978-0521654227.
  10. 1 2 3 Project, Sadguru Pujya Ishwarcharan Swami Head of Akshardham. "Making of historic BAPS Robbinsville Mandir - Person of year". www.thesouthasiantimes.info. Archived from the original on 2018-07-16. Retrieved 2016-08-02.
  11. 1 2 3 Academy, Himalayan (January 2015). "Temples: Fully Enclosed Ornate Marble Temple Opens in New Jersey - Magazine Web Edition > January/February/March 2015 - Publications - Hinduism Today Magazine". www.hinduismtoday.com. Archived from the original on 2021-07-25. Retrieved 2016-08-02.
  12. 1 2 Blumberg, Antonia (2014-08-23). "A Look At The New, Massive Hindu Temple Gracing New Jersey". HuffPost. Archived from the original on 2016-06-19. Retrieved 2016-08-02.
  13. ↑ "Mandir Mahotsav 2014, BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir". BAPS. Archived from the original on 2019-08-15. Retrieved 2019-08-15.
  14. 1 2 "Modi, Sunak extend greetings for Akshardham Temple inauguration in New Jersey". Hindustan Times. 2023-10-03. Retrieved 2023-11-07.
  15. 1 2 3 4 "BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham, A Massive Temple In New Jersey To Be Inaugurated In October". IndiaTimes. 2023-09-25. Retrieved 2023-11-07.
  16. 1 2 3 Choubey, Neha (2023-09-26). "New Jersey's Akshardham: World's Second-Largest Hindu Temple Set to Open Its Doors on October 8".
  17. ↑ PTI. "World's largest Hindu temple outside India in modern era to be inaugurated in October". Deccan Herald. Retrieved 2023-11-07.
  18. ↑ "New Jersey Akshardham, world's largest modern Hindu temple outside India, set to open on October 8: 10 things to know". The Times of India. 2023-09-25. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2023-11-07.
  19. ↑ "Largest Hindu temple outside India opens in New Jersey: 10 point update". Hindustan Times. 2023-10-08. Retrieved 2023-11-07.
  20. 1 2 Henao, Luis Andres; Press, DEEPA BHARATH Associated (2023-10-07). "Largest Hindu temple outside India in the modern era opens in New Jersey". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2023-11-07.
  21. ↑ "BAPS Temple holds installation of 1st pillar, Mandapam, and Visarjan in New Jersey - News India Times". News India Times. 2017-09-12. Archived from the original on 2019-12-21. Retrieved 2017-11-07.
  22. ↑ "BAPS Festival of Inspirations to Culminate in the Grand Inauguration of the BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham | Indo American News". Retrieved 2023-11-07.
  23. ↑ PTI. "Largest Hindu temple in the US inaugurated in New Jersey". Deccan Herald. Retrieved 2023-11-07.
  24. ↑ "The largest Hindu temple in US - BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham at Robbinsville, all set to be inaugurated". The Indian EYE. 2023-09-25. Retrieved 2023-11-07.
  25. 1 2 Excelsior, Daily (2023-10-12). "Akshardham Temple, billed to be second-largest in world, inaugurated in US | DailyExcelsior". Retrieved 2023-11-07.
  26. 1 2 3 Correal, Annie (2021-05-11). "Hindu Sect Is Accused of Using Forced Labor to Build N.J. Temple". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2021-05-12. Retrieved 2021-05-12.
  27. ↑ Simko-Bednarski, Evan (11 May 2021). "Lawsuit claims New Jersey Hindu temple was built on forced labor". CNN. Archived from the original on 13 May 2021. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
  28. 1 2 Silva, Daniella (May 11, 2021). "Hindu temple in New Jersey accused of 'shocking violations' in forced-labor lawsuit". NBC News. Archived from the original on May 28, 2021. Retrieved May 27, 2021.
  29. ↑ Choi, Joseph (2021-05-11). "Federal agents probe Hindu sect for using forced labor to build New Jersey temple". The Hill. Archived from the original on 2021-05-11. Retrieved 2021-05-12.
  30. ↑ "DOZENS OF ARTISANS DECIDE TO WITHDRAW FROM CASE AGAINST HINDU MANDIR IN AMERICA". 14 July 2023. Archived from the original on 20 July 2023. Retrieved 20 July 2023. Some of them gathered the courage to leave the FBI's custody and return home, even though Swati Sawant insisted for them to stay and repeated her offer of American citizenship and money for them.Advocate Sawant also called their families in India to make them force the artisans to stay in the US. But by this time the artisans had realised the truth and contacted lawyer Aaditya SB Soni for his help
  31. ↑ "A Dozen Artisans Withdraw From Case against BAPS". Archived from the original on 2023-07-20. Retrieved 2023-07-20.
  32. ↑ "No Violation of Artisans Rights at Robbinsville Akshardham Temple in New Jersey, Charges False: Laborer's Body". Archived from the original on 2023-07-18. Retrieved 2023-07-20.
  33. ↑ "Charges against Robbinsville Akshardham temple false". Archived from the original on 2023-07-18. Retrieved 2023-07-20.
  34. ↑ "Artisans Withdraw Allegations Against Robbinsville Akshardham Temple, Claiming Duress". Archived from the original on 2023-07-20. Retrieved 2023-07-20. To substantiate their claims, the release mentioned the existence of notarized affidavits, videotaped interviews, and statements made in the presence of advocates.
  35. ↑ "BAPS Charities Annual Walkathons help plant 130,000 trees for the Nature Conservancy". News India Times. June 22, 2018. Archived from the original on May 18, 2021. Retrieved May 18, 2021.
  36. ↑ "BAPS Charities-Robbinsville". BAPS Charities. Archived from the original on 2021-05-18. Retrieved 2021-05-18.
  37. ↑ Nath, Rhea (8 April 2020). "BAPS: 'There is no spirituality without social service'". Indian Link. Archived from the original on 2020-08-03.
  38. ↑ "COVID-19: BAPS launches community care programme in UK". Eastern Eye. April 8, 2020. Archived from the original on 2021-05-25.
  39. ↑ "BAPS Charities Volunteers Continue Global Response to Coronavirus Pandemic". India West. May 10, 2020. Archived from the original on 2020-05-25.
  40. ↑ "Over 12,000 Indian American Families Join BAPS Hindu Mandirs in Online Prayer". India West. April 1, 2020. Archived from the original on May 25, 2021. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
  41. ↑ "BAPS online Mahapuja: Well-being for all". India Post. April 10, 2020. Archived from the original on May 25, 2021. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
  42. ↑ "BAPS Charities Volunteers Continue Global Response to Coronavirus Pandemic". India West. May 10, 2020. Archived from the original on May 25, 2020. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
  43. ↑ "COVID-19 Pandemic: Over 4,000 hot meals served to frontline workers in New Jersey and New York City • BAPS Charities". BAPS Charities. 2020-04-13. Archived from the original on 2021-05-25. Retrieved 2021-05-25.
  44. ↑ "COVID-19 Pandemic: Serving the seniors in New Jersey • BAPS Charities". BAPS Charities. 2020-04-06. Archived from the original on 2021-05-25. Retrieved 2021-05-25.
  45. ↑ "Food Drive 2020 in Robbinsville, NJ • BAPS Charities". BAPS Charities. 2020-11-17. Archived from the original on 2021-05-18. Retrieved 2021-05-18.
  46. ↑ NJ.com, Michael Mancuso | NJ Advance Media for (2021-05-01). "COVID vaccine drive at Hindu temple helps bridge language, access issues". nj. Archived from the original on 2021-05-18. Retrieved 2021-05-18.
  47. ↑ Jha, Lalit (May 7, 2021). "US surgeon general praises BAPS charities for turning its temples into vaccination centres". Yahoo News India. Archived from the original on 2021-05-18. Retrieved 2021-05-18.
  48. ↑ "Vice President Kamala Harris on India's Covid Situation: 'Nothing Short of Heartbreaking'". India West. May 10, 2021. Archived from the original on May 18, 2021. Retrieved May 24, 2021.
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