The Akshardham Delhi temple by the BAPS foundation in Delhi is her newest landmark. This temple combines several completely different and contrasting architectural styles of temple architecture in India -- Rajasthani, Orrisan, Gujarati and Jain -- into a pleasing whole.


The entire complex covers thirty acres, including the main monument encompassed in layers of halls, exhibitions, museums, schools and research institutions. The main temple itself is a monolithic structure made entirely out of stone at 125 ft high, 260 ft wide and 310 ft long, and it is only the central part of the complex. Completed in under 5 years, with 7,000 artists, architects and craftsmen working day and night, the Temple opened in 2005. It is entirely composed of marble and the red-sandstone that Delhi is famous for, and that so many of her monuments are constructed of. The Mandir is built to last 10,000 years.

-Jai

-----------==---=---==-----------

Monument of Akshardham

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/akshardham03f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/akshardham02f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/mood06f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/akshardham04f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/mood03f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/mood11f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/mood07f.jpg


-----------==---=---==-----------

...Below are views of some of the buildings and areas that make up the Complex...

-----------==---=---==-----------

Garden of India / Bharat Upvan

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/gardenofindia/photo/garden03f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/gardenofindia/photo/garden09f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/gardenofindia/photo/garden02f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/gardenofindia/photo/garden04f.jpg


--------==--=--==--------

Musical Fountains / Yagnapurush Kund

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/musicalfountains/photo/fountain05f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/musicalfountains/photo/fountain11f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/musicalfountains/photo/fountain14f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/musicalfountains/photo/fountain04f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/musicalfountains/photo/fountain15f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/musicalfountains/photo/fountain01f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/musicalfountains/photo/fountain13f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/musicalfountains/photo/fountain14f.jpg


-----------==---=---==-----------

...Below are more views of the areas of the Akshardham Monument itself...

-----------==---=---==-----------

Vvibhuti Mandovar
http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/mandovar10f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/mandovar02f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/mandovar04f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/mandovar08f.jpg


--------==--=--==--------

Pari Krama

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/parikrama20f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/parikrama10f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/narayan01f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/parikrama07f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/parikrama08f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/parikrama09f.jpg


--------==--=--==--------

Narayan Pith

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/panal05f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/panal04f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/panal07f.jpg


--------==--=--==--------

Gajendra Pith

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/elephant10f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/elephant09f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/elephant08f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/elephant04f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/elephant07f.jpg


--------==--=--==--------

Pillars

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/pillar09f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/pillar07f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/pillar01f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/pillar08f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/pillar11f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/pillar12f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/pillar13f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/pillar03f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/pillar04f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/pillar06f.jpg


--------==--=--==--------

Murtis

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/murti01f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/murti02f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/murti04f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/murti06f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/murti07f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/murti09f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/murti12f.jpg


--------==--=--==--------

Carvings

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/carving03f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/carving05f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/dom14f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/carving02f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/sahajanand03f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/sahajanand05f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/sahajanand04f.jpg


--------==--=--==--------

Mandapams / Domes

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/dom05f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/dom04f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/sahajanand01f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/dom16f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/ghanshyam01f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/dom12f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/dom18f.jpg


--------==--=--==--------

Garbhagruh

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/allf.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/radhakrishnaf.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/ramsitaf.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/shivaparvatif.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/lakshminarayanf.jpg



~ Fin ~

where's the poll this deserves a ten

Hmm, that's odd, the poll works fine for me?

:eek2: :eek2: :eek2: :eek2: :eek2:


Fantastic!


:cheers:


Grt work Jai!

10/10

10/10

A modern wonder.

10/10. majestic. crafty. Iconic. surreal, jaw dropping to a point that such architecture can be accomplished in today's machine driven day and age.

10/10 for sure.

The craftmanship deserves a 10.

10..wish i could give more....

Great work !

^^ 6.5!? :ohno:

r u..... :weird: ?

Yeh, if its 'great work', surely it should get a great score :-\

Oh! How wonderful!
Its like perfection in its fullest form.
Its like a modern day monument with centuries old tradition.
Its like poetry in its physical form.
Its simply marvellous!

Kudos to the artists for the creation of a life time.
Hats off to the men who made it possible.
Thanks to Jai for sharing it.

10/10

10/10

9/10

hmmm....wonder why there aren't many votes in yet!?

:runaway:

5000 years of continuous civilization archived in this architectural marvel
beautiful craftmanship and deserves a 10

10/10
these images worth thousands of words!!

I'm absolutely stunned.
Probably the most beautiful architecture I've seen in my lifetime.

Jai, could you please post more pictures of Indian temples/monuments? (I'm curious now)

Why was it build? To improve the image of the firm which financed it?

I didn't this kind of craftsmanship is possible today. is it authentic, meaning this kind of temple could also have been built 1,000 years ago?

10/10 (rather 20)

Jai, could you please post more pictures of Indian temples/monuments? (I'm curious now)

You can find more in Rate Our Architecture, or the India section > Heritage Buildings and Monuments.

Why was it build? To improve the image of the firm which financed it?

It's a religious temple. The BAPS group is famous for these temples around the world.

is it authentic, meaning this kind of temple could also have been built 1,000 years ago?

In many ways, yes, the sculpting is done by hand and passed on from generation to generation over many years. In some ways no; I'm not sure I've seen so many different styles together before and there was some use of cranes. Also, they didn't have IMAX theatres or fancy fountains in those days :D

well there are several reasons
1. The reason why any religious building is built [Church, Mosque, Temple]
2 To collect all the history from 5000 years of continuous civilization like an archive, telling the story of india's rich history
[there are several statues chronicling the past, all the way from Gautama Buddha, Ashoka to Mahamatma Gandhi]
3 I dont think its a commercial reason at all

OK, sry, I guess I misunderstood something.

So what exactly is the BAPS group?

I thought it wüuld be an enterprise, but it doesn't semm so if it constructs temples all over the world. :)

http://www.swaminarayan.org/
all u want to know @ this link

The temple is majestic, gorgeous... Actually im out of words. :) 10/10.

I'm absolutely stunned.
Probably the most beautiful architecture I've seen in my lifetime.

Jai, could you please post more pictures of Indian temples/monuments? (I'm curious now)

Why was it build? To improve the image of the firm which financed it?

I didn't this kind of craftsmanship is possible today. is it authentic, meaning this kind of temple could also have been built 1,000 years ago?

10/10 (rather 20)

Yeh, this is like temples that were built over a thousand years ago in India - there are other monuments located in this forum:

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/forumdisplay.php?f=327

And also, this forum:

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/forumdisplay.php?f=541

Breathtakingly beautiful, it deserves nothing less than 10/10

absolutely amazing...im speechless!!!! 10/10

Marvelous!!! Absolutely great.
10/10

See also this medieval temple, built in a similar style:

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=125826&page=1&pp=20

Impressive!! 10 ;)

More stuff like it in this list:
http://skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?p=9546844

Hi Zombile,

Sorry to reply after so long. Yes, I will surely post more photos of monuments and modern Indian architecture, whenever I get the time :)


It is indeed a temple, dedicated to world peace. It was created by the Swaminarayan Sanstha, a socio-cultural Hindu foundation.

The temple was built purely on donation money, and not only does the complex include a monestary, cultural exhibition center, social harmony research center, museum, gardens and school, it also is meant to be a revinue generating tourist attaction -- the revenue which will in turn be used to finance a whole range of social welfare and poverty alleviation programs.

The temple also employed thousands of artists, engineers and laborers, and single handedly revived several crafts of temple art design that would have been lost to the ages. The craftsmen who made this temple are now employed all over India in the restoration and constrution of new temples.


This temple is very much authentic. It is composed entirely, without steel or concrete bracing, etc., of sandstone and marble. This is not to say that modern equipment like cranes weren't used to construct it, however.

The style is very unique, as it combines several completely different and contrasting architectural styles of temple architecture in India -- Rajasthani, Orrisan, Gujarati and Jain -- into a pleasing whole. The actual sculpture is also uniquely Swaminarayan, as it is more like a three-dimentional rendition of modern Gujarati folk art, rather than the highly stylized carvings found in more traditional temples.

It should be noted that, like all Hindu temples, all the carvings, pictures and statues in the temple all tell religious stories and scripture.


Here are some more interesting photographs of the temple complex

Majestic view from one of Delhi's streets:
http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/4154/image13wn7.png

The length of the complex:
http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/7272/image6zi2.png


Some more breathtaking views of the temple architecture from the outside street level:
http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/1830/image14pl7.png

http://img142.imageshack.us/img142/3218/image15ii6.png

http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/3012/image16in3.png


Cheers,
Jai

Nice :-)

I didn't have any knowledge of this building! What a nice and brilliant surprise. 9.5

9/10

10/10

I'm REALLY, REALLY impressed!

10 for sure! :drool:

Some more new pics, taken from outside the temple:

http://img244.imageshack.us/img244/4773/308933668ce26e91238b10fjf8.jpg

http://img244.imageshack.us/img244/8906/299312614672bd6e191o10foe3.jpg
^ View from the old Swaminarayanan Mandir

http://img244.imageshack.us/img244/281/25253059448cc3ef86fo10fca2.jpg

http://img244.imageshack.us/img244/554/25253045570ffa263eeo10fzu7.jpg

Nice :)

Over 20 thousand people attended the ceremony, including the Prime Minister and President of India, along with other political, religious and cultural leaders, which was watched live by millions of people on TV

http://img235.imageshack.us/img235/4260/01ab8.jpg
^ A view of the temple. Shows just how massive it is

http://img530.imageshack.us/img530/9371/02ys7.jpg
^ The opening ceremony

http://img64.imageshack.us/img64/7607/04fs4.jpg
^ The ceremonies featured performances by schoolchildren and young monks, including music and classical dance

http://img530.imageshack.us/img530/9724/03fi9.jpg

http://img252.imageshack.us/img252/5986/05bp8.jpg

http://img108.imageshack.us/img108/5631/06or8.jpg

http://img108.imageshack.us/img108/7146/08fx3.jpg
^ Note how the temple can be lit in various different ways

http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/8286/07gi4.jpg

http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/1664/09td5.jpg
^ One of the many floats that kids made explaining various aspects of Hindu religion, culture and mythology

http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/56/10lu3.jpg

http://img116.imageshack.us/img116/8017/000mb0.jpg
^ Another showing various Yogic positions

http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/416/11gg5.jpg

http://img119.imageshack.us/img119/6343/13kg8.jpg
^ The entrance gate to the temple, with the dignitaries attending the ceremony were seated

http://img119.imageshack.us/img119/2658/12id9.jpg

http://img107.imageshack.us/img107/519/14nc9.jpg
^ India's Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh was among those who made speeches at the event

http://img119.imageshack.us/img119/7254/15lj9.jpg

http://img107.imageshack.us/img107/1488/16rt0.jpg

-Jai

Amazing again :)

10/10

10/10 absolutely incredible

Absolutely stunning.

I love this temple! It is absolutely stunning!

10/10,

11!!!!! such a true asian masterpiece!! how come this didn't became famous like Taj Mahal?.....and certainly in a lot better condition than Ankor Wat

8/10

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f1/sumit26/akshardham9.jpg

http://www.hinduwisdom.info/images/Akshardham_temple.jpg

http://www.tcp.in/spiritual/uploaded_images/akshardham-710979.jpg

http://www.indhistory.com/img/hindu-temple-akshardham-temple.jpg

Breathtaking. 10

http://www.hinduwisdom.info/images/Akshardham_temple.jpg

http://www.indhistory.com/img/hindu-temple-akshardham-temple.jpg
Hi

These two are actually the Akshardham temple in Ahmedabad, Gujarat (also a Swaminarayan temple) which was completed in 1992, not the one in Delhi. While also a huge structure, the Delhi one is almost twice as massive, and far more ornate

Ah - I thought it looked slightly different, but just assumed it was another structure on the same site. Thanks for pointing that out :)

10/10. :eek:

9.5 but on second thought i think everyone else is right - 10

OMG...this is extremely beautiful! :cheers: :)

10/10

Aye...this thread deserves more respect! :nuts:

:wtf: This is what I call a LIVING BUILDING!!!!!! :omg: 10!!!

^^ Yup.

A couple more pics... pity they don't let cameras inside

------==--=--==------

from Crystal Karma @ flickr
http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/6484/2046777102840396174aomxbx0.jpg

------==--=--==------

from Marcus Fornell @ flickr
http://img247.imageshack.us/img247/1760/20885690843b9a163df0okk4.jpg

------==--=--==------

10/10

10/10

Some new, rare pics from inside the temple, from riversoflive2000 (http://flickr.com/photos/10579713@N07/) @ flickr. Must've smuggled a camera in there:

http://img390.imageshack.us/img390/9769/2300838666978fa41c17olh6.jpg

http://img390.imageshack.us/img390/7050/2300838782af0390f99aonn3.jpg

The only major qualm I have with the design of this temple is that it is a replication of past architectural styles. Personally, I would prefer a more modern and updated look for a modern mandir, rather than what is essentially a 2,000 year old design.

Wow. 10/10

It's amazing to me that we can still build these timeless temples in this modern age. I thought we lost that art and craftsmanship of creating temples like this. Well done!

beautifull 10/10

7/10

This definitely wins award for the most audacious piece of Hindu construction in six centuries.

10/10

9/10. Great craftmanship!

9/10

wow .. simply breathtaking !

10/10

10/10 must be

10/10

10/10

10. Excellent. Regards.

wow wat can i say this is absolutely awesome!! The great Indian Architechture !!beautiful

really beautiful :applause: 9/10

no words. how beautiful it is. this thread must be seen by everyone on skyscrapercity!!:master::dance:

10/10

@ Khanrak the greatest thing about this temple complex is that it has maintained the age-old architectural style even in modern times. one must be able to acknowledge that. In this world of supertalls and malls and innovative designs of memorials, one must appreciate newer developments, but there must be buildings based on ancient/ medieval designs so that one can know more of the contemporary architecture and history in modern context.

10/10

This is one of the most beautiful spots to be visited during Commonwealth games in delhi. This is situated right behind the Commonwealth games village. In fact, it is visible in the background. A metro station is also situated near the temple. Which is known as 'akshardham' this temple is situated on the Banks of River Yamuna, which flows through Delhi. .
The view from the metro, Ah...its amazing.
A place one must never miss when in Delhi.

Oh my, this really gets me excited (10/10)

8/10
i like the architecture but not the feel of this place. too plastic

bump

9/10

10/10

10710

9.5/10