Delhi's Akshardham records entry in Guinness Book

The Guinness committee bestowed Akshardham sanstha for crafting two world records, building largest temple in the world as well as to have built as many as 713 temples between April 1971 and November 2007 across five continents, the maximum by any single organisation.

The state of the art Akshardham Temple situated on the banks of river Yamuna in East Delhi scripted its name in the Guinness book of world record by becoming the largest Hindu temple in the world.

This largest temple is built by Bochasanwasi Shri Akshardham Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) which is popular with the name Akshardham Temple. With this entry it became the first Hindu Temple to be recognised by Guinness Book.

The Member of the Management committee of Guinness world records alongwith official adjudicator Michael Witty presented the certificate for the two world records to Pramukh Swami at a presentation ceremony held on December 17 in Ahmedabad.

The committee recognised the beautiful holy structure as the largest temple which is 356 feet wide and 141 feet high covering the area of 86,342 square feet and also gave the Sanstha a status to have built as many as 713 temples between April 1971 and November 2007 across five continents, the maximum by any single organisation.

Earlier too the Record book recognised the BAPS for sanctifying over 400 temples in 2001.

The certificate cited, “The grand, ancient style, ornately hand-carved stone temple has been built without structural steel within five years by 11,000 artisans and volunteers.”

“The majestic, ornately hand-carved Swaminarayan Akshardham in New Delhi stands apart as the largest Hindu temple in the world” mention the certificate.

It took three months time to research the extensive architectural plans of Akshardham and to compare it with other temples of comparable sizes to reach on a conclusion.

The magnificent temple complex is a mirror of India’s rich culture with flamboyant statues, floral motifs, arches and delicately carved pillars.

Inaugurated by Pramukh Swami on November 7, 2005, the architectural style of the temple is said to be the imitation of the Akshardham Temple of Gujarat.

Akshardham would get a prominent place in the next edition of the book with a double page photograph of the building and a short description of the temple.

This has opened a new vista for tourism as people will now come in huge numbers from across the globe to see this magnificent temple that has the glimpses of Hindu religion and culture.