Swaminarayan Akshardham (New Jersey)

Swaminarayan Akshardham
Swaminarayan Akshardham in Robbinsville, New Jersey
Religion
AffiliationHinduism
DeitySwaminarayan,
Radha Krishna, Venkateshwara-Padmavathi,
Sita-Rama Lakshman Hanuman,
Shiva-Parvati Kartikeya Ganesha
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 is a Hindu mandir (temple) built by the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha in Robbinsville, New Jersey, within Mercer County, in central New Jersey. It is the largest Hindu mandir in the United States and the second-largest in the world, the largest outside of Asia, and the largest Hindu mandir built in modern times,[1] rising 213 ft (65 m) above ground.[2] The mandir has a total of 13 shrines dedicated to various Hindu deities. The central shrine is dedicated to Swaminarayan and Gunatitanand Swami, worshiped together as Akshar Purushottam Maharaj.

The 183-acre (74 ha) Akshardham campus contains the main Akshardham mandir, a smaller traditional shikharbaddha mandir, Nilkanth Plaza, a welcome center, a vegetarian cafe, the BAPS Swaminarayan Research Institute, a museum, and an event center.[3] The Akshardham was inspired by BAPS's fifth spiritual leader, Pramukh Swami Maharaj. The land was purchased in 2008, and construction of Akshardham mandir began in 2015.

On October 8, 2023, Mahant Swami Maharaj, the spiritual head of BAPS, performed the consecration ceremony and formally inaugurated the mandir.[4][5] Several months after the Akshardham mandir opening, a registration process was implemented to facilitate an improved visitor experience. On weekends, national holidays, and selected Indian holidays, free advanced registration is required.[6] This Robbinsville temple is one of world's three Akshardham mandirs constructed by the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha; the other two are in New Delhi and Gandhinagar.[7][8]

In May 2021, a lawsuit was filed against BAPS by several artisans from India, who were involved in the construction alleging that the temple administrators violated labor laws. The lawsuit alleged that over 200 Indian men, mostly of the Dalit caste, were brought from India to the US and were subject to wage theft, forced labor, and human trafficking.[9][10][11][12][13] BAPS Spokesperson denied these allegations stating that artisans had come to the US as religious volunteers as part of their devotion, not as employees. By July 2023, 12 of the plaintiffs had withdrawn from the lawsuit citing religious conviction. The lawsuit is on-hold, pending a federal investigation.[14][15][16][17][18]

  1. ^ "World's largest Hindu temple outside India in modern era to be inaugurated on October 8 in New Jersey". The Indian Express. September 25, 2023. Retrieved September 21, 2024.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference :9 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  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.
  4. ^ "Akshardham Temple, billed to be second-largest in world, inaugurated in US". Tribune India.
  5. ^ General, Ryan (2023-10-09). "Largest modern Hindu temple outside India opens in US". NextShark. Retrieved 2024-02-08.
  6. ^ "Akshardham US introduces registration system for personalized visitor experience".
  7. ^ "PM Modi, Rishi Sunak extend wishes for Akshardham temple inauguration in USA". India Today. 3 October 2023. Retrieved 2024-02-08.
  8. ^ Nimje, Sonika Nitin. "Swaminarayan Akshardham: All details on largest Hindu temple outside India". Business Standard.
  9. ^ "Largest Hindu temple outside Asia opens in New Jersey, built by 12,500 volunteers". NBC News. 2023-10-08. Retrieved 2024-11-04.
  10. ^ Correal, Annie (2021-05-11). "Hindu Sect Known as BAPS is Accused of Using Forced Labor to Build New Jersey Temple". The New York Times. Retrieved 2024-11-04.
  11. ^ Ter, David; Sen, Mallika (2021-05-12). "Suit: Workers lured from India paid $1.20 per hour for years". AP News. Retrieved 2024-11-04.
  12. ^ "New Jersey's Akshardham Temple That Allegedly Flouted Labour, Wage Laws Opens". The Wire. 2023-10-22. Retrieved 2024-11-04.
  13. ^ Simko-Bednarski, Evan (2021-05-12). "Lawsuit claims New Jersey Hindu temple was built on forced labor". CNN. Retrieved 2024-11-04.
  14. ^ Bailey, Sarah Pulliam (2023-10-21). "A $96 Million Hindu Temple Opens Amid Accusations of Forced Labor". The New York Times. Retrieved 2024-11-04.
  15. ^ "New Jersey's Akshardham Temple That Allegedly Flouted Labour, Wage Laws Opens". The Wire. 2023-10-22. Retrieved 2024-11-04.
  16. ^ Roy, Pranay Dutta (2023-10-08). "Inauguration of World's Largest Temple: It Faces Allegations from Dalit Workers". TheQuint. Retrieved 2024-11-04.
  17. ^ Walsh, Joe (2021-05-11). "New Jersey Hindu Temple Allegedly Forced Laborers To Work For $1.20 Per Hour". Forbes. Retrieved 2024-11-04.
  18. ^ Misra, Shubhangi (2021-05-12). "Swaminarayan temple in US raided, workers taken from India treated as forced labour: Report". ThePrint. Retrieved 2024-11-04.