BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham

    At first it seems surprising that the second largest Hindu mandir in the world, BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham, would be located amid the highways and suburban sprawl of New Jersey. The mandir spans 185 acres, stands 191 feet tall, and is adorned with painstakingly intricate details and sculptures. But this remarkable spiritual and cultural landmark is representative of not only traditional Hindu architecture but also the Indian-American diaspora. The gleaming white marble pieces were handcrafted in Rajasthan, India and later shipped to New Jersey to be assembled on-site. In the front sits a traditional Indian Stepped Pond, filled with water from India's 108 holy rivers and rivers flowing through the 50 states in the U.S. The Shayona Café beside the mandir serves authentic, all-vegetarian Indian cuisine and caters to a variety of guests, some very familiar with the tastes of India and others trying something new. Gleaming in the sun, Akshardham stands as a testament to the splendor of Hindu culture and architecture as well as the beauty of diversity in New Jersey.