NEW JERSEY TEMPLES_PROGRAMMES_AUG 2014

NEW JERSEY TEMPLES

World's Largest Hindu Temple Being Built in New Jersey

BY FRANCES KAI-HWA WANG

The world’s largest Hindu temple is about to open in Robbinsville, New Jersey.

The Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) Shri Swaminarayan temple, known as a mandir, is a 162-acre complex which broke ground in 2009 and is set for completion in 2017.

According to The Times of India, 2,000 artisans in Rajasthan are hand-crafting the temples in Italian and Rajasthani marble. The finished pieces are then assembled in New Jersey by a team of master craftsmen.

The first phase of the project, The Great Prayer Hall -- with seating for 1000 people -- and Shikharbaddh Mandir temple will be inaugurated in August 2014.

Remaining construction includes a youth activity center, visitor’s center and food court, and a second, larger temple, the Great Akshardham Mandir, expected to be completed in 2017.

The current Guinness Book of World Records holder for the world's largest comprehensive Hindu temple is the BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham in New Delhi, India, which sits on a 59-acre complex.

Spiritual leader His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj also holds the Guinness world record for creating and consecrating the most temples by one person—713 temples in five continents between April 1971 and November 2007.

BAPS

His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj, President, BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha.

IN-DEPTH

• How Hindus Grew into Second-Largest Faith in Arizona & Delaware
• Devotees Celebrate Hindu God During Ram Navami
• 162-acre Akshardham coming up in New Jersey (Times of India)

SOCIAL

Started from the bottom now we're here. #9daysleft #mm14rbvpic.twitter.com/BUhL1m7fBd

— Ruchita Patel (@RuchitaPatel4) July 22, 2014

#tbt August 2010. There isn't a tent there anymore...just a majestic mandir, inside a box of course. #7 #MM14RBV pic.twitter.com/bKjNwWQSJO

— KirtanPPandya (@KirtanPPandya) July 24, 2014

First published July 28th 2014, 4:31 pm