Rooted In Sanatan Dharma, How Swaminarayan Akshardham Temples Are Bridging Modernity With Timeless Tradition

SOURCE ; NEW18

Last Updated:April 22, 2025, 09:50 IST

The Swaminarayan temples are widely recognised for seamlessly blending religious depth with modern sensibilities, while remaining rooted in Indian culture, traditions, and sculpture

As US Vice-President JD Vance admired the intricate carvings on the stunning Gajendra Peeth—the lower plinth of elephants that forms the pradakshina at the base of the magnificent Swaminarayan Akshardham temple—temple officials explained to him that the structure symbolised strength and wisdom.

It is this very architectural grandeur that continues to captivate visitors. The Swaminarayan temples are widely recognised for seamlessly blending religious depth with modern sensibilities, while remaining rooted in Indian culture, traditions, and sculpture.

“These mandirs provide an environment where people—young and old—feel rooted in tradition, uplifted in spirit, and engaged in the community across the world,” said Pujya Swami Brahmavihari Das, internal spokesperson and senior sadhu at BAPS.

“The stone temples are purely traditional as per the ancient shilpa shastras, however, the facilities are modern to serve the need of today,” he said.

As part of their four-day visit to India, Vance, along with his Indian-origin wife Usha and their three children—Ewan, Vivek, and Mirabel—made their first stop at the sprawling Swaminarayan Akshardham Temple located along the banks of the Yamuna.

According to Akshardham officials, the Vance family explored the temple’s majestic art and architecture, immersing themselves in India’s rich cultural and spiritual heritage. They appreciated the messages of harmony, family values, and timeless wisdom that the Akshardham campus represents.

Let’s take a closer look at how the Swaminarayan temples have come to represent the grandeur of Indian culture through a modern lens. News18 spoke to senior swamis at the temple as well as religious commentators about the architectural vision and global symbolism these temples now embody.

Explaining the significance of the Swaminarayan temples, Swami Brahmavihari Das said the architecture tells stories from the scriptures, showcases saints and sages, and embodies sacred geometry. Though crafted in stone, these structures are designed to shape the spirit. The rituals, he explained, are rooted in the Vedas but carefully adapted for modern times—made accessible, clear, and meaningful for everyone. It is this blend of ancient tradition and thoughtful accessibility that, makes the mandirs widely cherished today.

Swami Brahmavihari Das spoke of how the Swaminarayan temples that are present globally, from London to Los Angeles, Paris to Toronto, Sydney to Johannesburg and now in Abu Dhabi, have been welcomed wholeheartedly by the people of those nations.

“We genuinely serve the needs of the local people through universal Sanatan values like love, peace, tolerance and service. This growth is natural, born out of need, not expansionism and it is not about influence, but about inclusion—inviting people into a way of life that is meaningful, moral, and fulfilling with devotion. That’s how we’ve built global relevance without losing local resonance,” said Swami Brahmavihari Das.

The Swaminarayan sect has set a new benchmark in temple architecture, notably with their iconic Shikhar Dhwaj temples, which feature towering spires or Shikhar Dhwajs.

According to Bhavya Srivastava, a religious commentator, “These temples are very large and are known as Shikhar Dhwaj temples. This style was historically adopted by Indian kings to build grand temples like the Jyotirlingas. The Swaminarayan sect drew from both Hindu and Jain traditions to create this form.”

Today, the Swaminarayan temple holds a unique and significant place in Indian culture and the temple-building movement, explains Srivastava. “In 1900, when Shastriji Maharaj took the lead to establish BAPS in Bochasan and later constructed some temples, it laid the foundation for what became a global temple-building movement,” Srivastava said. “Then Yogiji Maharaj, and later Pramukh Swami, carried this forward and established more than 1,300 temples across the world,” he said.

In the early days, the Swaminarayan temples were not as massive. “But as Gurus began travelling—first to Africa, then to Europe and America—they recognised the need to communicate on a larger scale,” said Srivastava. The goal was to create spaces where “God resides and the community gathers”, as the growing Indian diaspora needed larger temples to cater to their spiritual needs.

Today, more than 40 of these Shikhar Dhwaj temples exist across the globe, with the Akshardham Temple in Delhi standing as the most iconic example. Srivastava explains, “These temples incorporate Indian motifs like camels, elephants, flowers, peacocks, petals, and symbolic trees like the Banyan. This reflects the aesthetic of Vedic temples, which are both grand and deeply symbolic.”

Authenticity in construction is paramount. “They mostly use granite and brown stone,” he adds. “Cement is avoided. Instead, they use a mix of limestone and other traditional binding agents—just like in ancient Indian temples.”

This architectural vision has not only maintained its roots in tradition but has become a symbol of Indian culture globally. The Akshardham temple in Delhi, built on land provided by former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, is an enduring representation of this architectural grandeur. More recently, the Swaminarayan temple in Abu Dhabi has also gained international attention. “There was already a temple in Dubai since the 1950s,” said Srivastava. “The UAE wanted a Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi, and that’s how the Swaminarayan temple came up there.”

Despite being just over a century old, the Swaminarayan sect has consistently reflected Indian religious and cultural values. According to Srivastava, “They achieve this through their temple design, the presence of Sanyasis, and their rituals.” The sect’s architectural achievements serve as a testament to how tradition and modernity can seamlessly coexist.

The Sanyasis wear Gerua Vastra—saffron robes—and symbolise a modern expression of deeply traditional Hindu values. “They adhere to the core principles of Sanyasa: not touching Lakshmi (money), and not speaking to women,” he added.

“They represent the essence of Sanyasa,” Srivastava said. “Their global travels and engagement as a Hindu sect are rooted in core Indian values. They also continue the Guru-Shishya parampara, which is central to Hindu tradition.”

Inaugurated in 2005, the grand temple dedicated to Bhagwan Swaminarayan has become a landmark for visitors to the Capital. Revered as an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, Swaminarayan founded the Swaminarayan faith and revived Hindu ideals in 18th century India. He introduced a spiritual path and a structured code of conduct, as detailed by the BAPS Swaminarayan organisation.

During their India visit last year, former British prime minister Rishi Sunak and his wife Akshata Murty also visited the Akshardham temple, highlighting its global significance as a spiritual and cultural icon.

Speaking to News18 about Vance’s visit, Gnanmunidas Swami, head of Swaminarayan Akshardham in New Delhi, said: “The visit of the vice-president and his family is a reflection of how these universal ideals resonate across cultures and nations. The visit symbolises the shared values of faith, peace, and unity that continue to strengthen ties between India and the United States.”

“Swaminarayan Akshardham stands as a living expression of India’s timeless values—faith, family, and harmony—brought to life through art and architecture. In a world searching for deeper meaning, Akshardham offers a space where tradition meets the spirit of modernity.”