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Akshardham temple complex opens in Delhi

      New Delhi: A mega temple complex in the national capital, to be inaugurated today, promises a unique glimpse of the Hindu religion and Indian culture. Touted as a tourist destination, the complex will be dedicated to the nation by Pramukhswami Maharaj, the leader of the Bochasanvasi Aksharpurushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS), in the presence of President APJ Abdul Kalam this evening. It will be thrown open to the public from Tuesday. Spread over about 100 acres of land on the banks of the Yamuna, the complex took more than two years in the making and cost around Rs two billion - funded out of donations and contributions from about 10 million of BAPS' followers worldwide.

     The 141-foot high main monument, an architectural marvel in pink sandstone and white marble, has a 11- foot tall statue of lord Swaminarayan, the presiding deity, in the sanctum sanctorum along with statues of other Hindu deities. The whole monument rises on the shoulders of 148 huge elephants, circled by a double-storied colonnade depicting tales from the epics. Designed and sculpted entirely according to ancient Indian traditions, the structure consists of 234 ornate pillars, nine domes, over 20,000 statues of Hindu gods and goddesses and decorative arches and is surrounded by a thick folliage.

     The complex follows the pattern of the popular Akshardham Temple in Gandhinagar, the capital of Gujarat, and comprises the main monument, 'experiential exhibitions', exhibition halls, an IMAX theatre and a musical fountain, surrounded by a garden, apart from a Swaminarayan temple. Temple authorities say they want the complex to be a place of education, experience and enlightenment rather than just a pilgrimage centre, adding that it would aim to provide an opportunity to understand and appreciate the great Indian culture. Designed by architect Virendra Sompura and conceptualised by Pramukh Swami Maharaj of the Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam (BAPS), construction of the complex was completed in just five years with over 7,000 craftsmen working day and night.

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