A Hindu temple, billed to be the second-largest in the world, and the largest in the western hemisphere, has been inaugurated in US’ New Jersey, 99 kilometres south of New York City.

Spread over a sprawling 185 acres, the Akshardham Temple in Robbinsville City of New Jersey stands at 191 feet high.

The temple was inaugurated on October 8 in the presence of Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan (BAPS) leader Mahant Swami Maharaj, with several thousand people attending the event.

“It was Pramukh Swami Maharaj's divine wish to construct an Akshardham in North America, where people can come and visit, irrespective of race, creed or religion,” said Mahant Swami Maharaj.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by Delaware Governor John Carney and Congressman Steny Hoyer.

“It is the second largest ever Hindu temple on this globe planet and of course, the largest in the Western hemisphere, which was inaugurated on October 8th, on the 90th birthday celebrations of Mahant Swami Maharaj. It was dedicated to this society, to humanity,” Gnanvatsaldas Swami, senior BAPS leader and motivational speaker, told PTI.

“The basic purpose of creating temples is to inspire people with values. Dharma, gyan, vairagya and bhakti, the four pillars of ekantik dharma that according to the Indian scriptures, was well prescribed by Bhagwan Swaminarayan. So, this is a monument dedicated to Indian culture and tradition. It's a monument dedicated to Bhagwan Swaminarayan’s life and teachings,” he said.

“The surprising element of this in the United States is that 12,500 volunteers ranging from 10 days of service to more than three years, five years of service have come together to build this Akshardham,” Gnanvatsaldas Swami said.

The temple has the story of Ramayana, Mahabharat carved on its stones. It has more than 150 Indian musical instruments and all the major dance postures on its pillars and wall.

“The best way to preserve art is regeneration. The BAPS has in its own humble way, been able to regenerate ancient art. In doing that, they've also given the skills back because those skills are needed. Thousands of artisans who have once again begun to calve and their art is being valued so that art is preserved for the next generation,” said Brahmaviharidas Swami, who is in charge of the under-construction Abu Dhabi Akshardham. The senior BAPS leader is currently in the US as part of the inaugural ceremony.

The temple reflects universal values, said Yogi Trivedi, a scholar of religion and media at Columbia University and a volunteer spokesperson at Akshardham Temple.

Stones from seven different countries, including Bulgaria, Italy, Greece, Turkey, India, were used in the temple construction.

“All of those stones also represent different cultural streams. They've all come together. They were shipped to India, intricately carved, then dry assembled there to make sure that it's going to fit when it comes here, disassembled and then shipped here, 8,000 miles where it's coming together. So just the coming together of those stones also shows the pluralism that is here in this complex,” Trivedi told PTI.

As one walks in the Akshardham, the Brahmakund or the step wall at the front has the water from 400 different rivers and lakes from around the world: Africa, Australia, the US. It has water from Ganga and Yamuna in India, and Mississippi and East River and Lake Michigan from the US. “That too shows the person who visits that this complex is open to all, and it brings a sense of belonging to anyone who comes here,” he said.

“There's that sense of inclusivity that everyone feels when they come inside to do darshan and to do pooja,” he said.

This is not just a Hindu story or a Hindu American story, it is an Americanand a global story, Trivedi said.

“When you walk around the base plinth of the mandir, you will see the universal beliefs of inclusivity, seva, bhakti, spiritual transcendence, love for all of humanity because God resides within it,” he said.

“You will see those same messages from Socrates, Reverend Martin Luther King, President Abraham Lincoln and Albert Einstein. The point is that those universal beliefs have been shown here at the mandir in a way that the American audience that visits, the Hindu American audience that visits, and the international audience that will come as visitors, or the pilgrims will also come to appreciate and readily connect with the people who are sharing those messages,” he said.

Jain spiritual leader Acharya Lokesh Muni, who visited the temple a day after its inauguration said the temple brings India’s message to the rest of the world, adding that the message of the world is “one family”.

Speaking at the inaugural ceremony, Congressman Steny Hoyer admired the craftsmanship behind the carved elephants, peacocks and other sculptures. “But what I find most extraordinary is the community that built it.” Appreciating the volunteers and their service, the Congressman said: “They did it because they believe in the values this structure represents: equality, liberation, truth, harmony, and most importantly, service to others. The values enshrined here are not just Hindu values, they are human values.” Randhir Jaiswal, Consul General of India in New York delivered a message of congratulations from Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the temple’s construction.

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