The nation’s largest Hindu temple celebrated its opening week in a farming community in central New Jersey.
More than 12,500 volunteers from across the country took 12 years to build the Akshardham Mahamandir in Robbinsville, NJ Now complete, it is also the second largest Hindu temple in the world, NJ Advance Media reports.
A groundbreaking ceremony was held this week for the 87,975-square-foot temple, which stands 191 feet tall.
Each day has a different theme related to Indian culture and Hindu values, including non-violence, the contribution of women, interfaith harmony, community, celebrating the joy of others, and spiritual heritage.
Volunteers from BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham North America, the Hindu complex where the temple is located, organized the inaugural event.
The festival will conclude on Sunday with a grand dedication ceremony masterminded by BAPS Spiritual Leader and Guru Mahant Swami Maharaj.
The ceremony will be broadcast live around the world.
“The tri-state area has a large population of Hindus, so this site was chosen for its accessibility,” Darshan Patel, a BAPS volunteer and local media coordinator, told the outlet.
Akshardham Mahamandir is the largest Hindu temple in the country.BAPS The 87,975 square foot temple stands at 191 feet in Robbinsville, NJBAPS
The temple is made of marble, granite, and limestone, imported from Europe and hand-carved by Indian artisans.
It is full of 10,000 statues and 151 carvings of ancient Indian musical instruments.
Mayor Adams and world leaders such as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who is Hindu, have sent congratulations for the new temple.
The temple is full of 10,000 sacred statues and 151 carvings of ancient Indian musical instruments.BAPS
Robbinsville Mayor David Fried spoke at Thursday’s rally, thanking the volunteers for their work.
“What you teach our youth is very important because the next generation needs to be part of our community, and that is something you should be proud of,” he said. “We are grateful and honored that you thought to choose our community and have the vision to transform this piece of land into something truly unbelievable.”
Categories: Trending
Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
