The Akshardham Temple
The Akshardham temple is one of the world's largest Indian temples. The temple, which is located in New Delhi, India, is a reflection of classical Hindu culture, architecture, and spirituality. As such, it plays cultural and theological roles in the lives of both Indians and visitors. Since its inception in November 2005, the temple has drawn more than 70% of all visitors to Delhi. The Mandir (temple) is famous for its well-known architectural designs as well as its tranquil setting. It is located on the banks of the Yamuna River in Delhi's eastern outskirts. Its construction was inspired by Vastu Shastra and Pancharatra Shastra designs which are commonly used for temples. In addition, the temple was constructed following the Maharishi Vastu architecture and it is, therefore, a representation of a variety of architectural designs across India (Singh 50).
Historical context
Like many other Indian temples, the Akshardham temple construction was inspired by the culture, spirituality as well as Indian architecture. As such, the temple's theme was derived from major Hindu practices. Its construction is based on a vision of one of the spiritual heads (Yogiji Maharaj) who always wanted to build a Mandir in Delhi during the late 1960s. Yogiji Maharaj wanted to build a grand temple to honor several devotee families from the Swaminarayan Hinduism group who were Delhi residents. However, yogiji died in 1971 before any progress was made on the project. His successor was, however, keen to accomplish the dream and therefore rallied for support of the project by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) who eventually allocated 60 acres of land for the project (Singh 54). As well, the government of Uttar Pradesh offered 30 more acres and the construction commenced in November 2000. Experienced sadhus oversaw the building of the complex to ensure it was done in accordance with Indian spiritual beliefs as well as their rich culture.
Stylistic influences
Like many of the Indian temples, the styles used in the construction of the temple are influenced by the rich Indian architectural designs of Vastu Shastra. As such, the styles are a combination of both ancient and modern styles to match the expectations of 20th-century buildings. Therefore, Vastu Shastra and Pancharata Shastra styles are the main stylistic influences. The styles are a combination of ancient Hindu practices as well as the Indian practices thus making the Mandir accommodative to both new and the old ways. Consequently, many of the artistic styles were borrowed from the Akshardham at Gandhinagar, Gujarat (Singh 59). To ensure that Vastu and Pancharat Shastra styles were keenly followed, 8 highly experienced sadhus were chosen to oversee the construction of the Mandir. Therefore, they supervised every single material that was used in the building of the temple. In addition, they also incorporated knowledge gathered from the construction of other famous Indian buildings built between the 8th and 12th century. As such, the stylistic influences leading up to its construction emanated from different sources thus making it the most coveted building across India (Singh 60).
Regional and Dynastic Style
The Akshardham temple construction commenced in November 2000 and therefore it was built in accordance with 20th-century requirements. By 2000, India had already gained independence and therefore no dynastic rule. As such, the construction was done under the rule of a president. Therefore, the construction was approved and supervised by the state government of Uttar Pradesh as well as the Delhi Development Authority. Therefore, the plan and construction of the temple had to meet all the standards set by the government. Consequently, Akshardham building had to adhere to environmental requirements and had to be built one mile away from the Yamuna River. Most temples are built near water bodies such as rivers and streams and therefore Delhi was a perfect site due to the presence of river Yamuna (Singh 65).
Mythic Context and Religious Significance
The mythology behind the construction of Indian temples indicates that they should be built in areas where there are gardens and free flow of water. As well, the myths suggest that the sites should be areas where animals and birds can live freely without fear and flowers can be bloom since the gods like such places. Therefore, Akshardham is built near Yamuna River because the environment is serene and peaceful and allows free flow of water to allow the presence of the gods (Singh 68). As well, the temple has a garden enriched with different herbs, trees and flowers to enhance the environment. Akshardham is of great religious importance to the people of Delhi as well as India as a country. It is the place where the prayers of the devotees are presented to their god since it is their temple. As the temple's name suggests Akshar means eternal while Dham means eternal. Therefore, Akshardham is a representation of abode of eternal practices that are taught in Hindu scriptures. As well, the temple is also a home to different features that are central to Hindu religion. Some of the features include the musical fountain that shows the cycle of life from birth to death (Singh 70).
Ritual Use and Festival Functions
Some of the rituals carried out in Akshardham temple include the Abhishek ritual, which involves pouring water on Murti by the devotees who also offer their prayers to have their wishes fulfilled. As well, faithfuls and devotees also perform their fasting and birthday celebrations at Akshardham. Some of the festivals include the Guru Purnima where the devotees offer their worship to their Gurus. In the case of Akshardham the devotees who reside in Delhi offer their worship to their Guru who was Yogiji Maharaj.
Formal Analysis
Description
Akshardham is an architectural building, which is made of exclusive stone. As such, no metals such as iron or steel were used in its construction. The complex is 141 ft. (foot) in height, 316 ft. in width and 356 ft. long with well-carved deities, flora and fauna. Since it is a combination of various architectural styles, the temple is made up of pink sandstone and Carrara marble. Consequently, there was no use of concrete. There are 234 carved pillars and 9 domes while the decorations include stone elephants as well as figures of divine personalities who took place in the history of Indian culture, spirituality, and architecture. Inside the temple, there are different features, which serve different purposes (Singh 52). Some of the features include the Hall of values with robotics as well as the theater, which has a screen measuring 85 by 65 foot hence one of the largest in Delhi. Apart from that, the temple has a waterway, which offers boat rides for both locals and tourists.
Analysis
The features incorporated in the temple are in accordance with the Hindu architectural practices and expectations. For instance, according to Hindu science and art, iron is considered a weak material and hence not used in the construction of major buildings. As such, the architects of the Akshardham made sure to use only stone and marbles. The color of the stones and marbles is also specific because a temple is not like any other building. The white and pink colors are a symbol of purity according to Hindu spirituality. Other features include the lotus garden and free flow of water, which represents the serenity of the environment surrounding the temple hence the presence of the gods (Hardy 120). The theater and the musical garden represents Hindu beliefs in matters concerning birth, death, and life as well as the life of some of the famous spiritual leaders such as Swaminarayan. The hall of values contains robotic performances that emphasize most of the important virtues taught by Swaminarayan including humility, peace, and harmony. The boat is meant to give people a tour of the temple so they can witness Hindu's heritage of architecture, which dates back to more than 10 thousand years (Hardy 156).
Interpretation
Akshardham was built to represent the religious and spiritual practices of the Hindu community. As such, its presence indicates the presence of the gods since it is referred to as the eternal abode. Like other temples, Arkshadharm represents the connectedness of all the things and the people who surround it. The name of Akshardham means eternal home and can, therefore, be alluded to the indestructible nature of the temple. Since it was built to honor the devotees of the Swaminarayan group, the temple is a representation of their eternal home even after death. As well, the temple shows that the culture and Hindu practices are indestructible as portrayed in the name of the temple. This can be explained by the fact that the temple is built in accordance with the Hindu mythology and scriptures as proven by different features such as the musical fountain and the gardens.
Judgment
The Akshardham temple is a great piece of art. Its features are correspondent with its purpose and therefore the architect has achieved what was intended of the building. Being a 20th-century building most people would have expected it to contain modern architectural styles thus compromising on the ancient designs. However, the architect was able to blend different designs borrowed from different periods of time to bring the best design of a temple thus making it the largest and most beautiful across India. As well, the builders also made sure that every part has been constructed in accordance with temple requirements thus maintaining its spiritual meaning (Mehrotra 53).
Conclusion
Finally, Akshardham is an architectural building that was crafted by the most experienced architects in both religion and architecture. As such, it serves its intended purpose as the place of Hindu worship, rituals, and festivals. However, due to the blend of designs and styles, the temple has become a tourist attraction in Delhi attracting more than 70% of tourists. Apart from that, the building has also made it to the Guinness book of records as the largest temples across India (Mehrotra 50).
Work Cited
Hardy, Adam. “The Temple Architecture of India.” 170-93.
Mehrotra, Rahul. Architecture in India: Since 1990. Mumbai: Pictor, 2011:48-53
Singh, Kavita. “TEMPLE OF ETERNAL RETURN: THE SWĀMINĀRĀYAN AKSHARDHĀM COMPLEX IN DELHI.” Artibus Asiae 70.1 (2010): 47-76.
