BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham
બાપ્સ સ્વામિનારાયણ અક્ષરધામ
Bhagwan Swaminarayan temple · Robbinsville Township, Mercer County, New Jersey, United States
BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham is a Hindu temple complex in Robbinsville Township, New Jersey, dedicated to Bhagwan Swaminarayan (1781–1830), the founder of the Swaminarayan tradition. It was built by the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) on a campus of about 185 acres. Its hand-carved stone Akshardham Mahamandir was inaugurated by the BAPS spiritual leader Mahant Swami Maharaj on 8 October 2023 and opened to the public on 18 October 2023.
Press coverage at the opening described it as the largest Hindu temple in the Western Hemisphere and among the largest anywhere. For many Hindu Americans it is now a major place of pilgrimage. Admission is free.
Faith & Tradition
Religious Significance of BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham
In BAPS belief, Akshardham is the divine abode of God. The mahamandir honours Bhagwan Swaminarayan, whom followers worship as the supreme being, and expresses the Akshar-Purushottam teaching that pairs him with his ideal devotee, Gunatitanand Swami. As in other BAPS mandirs, devotees believe the consecrated murtis are living presences, and they offer them daily worship.
The campus is also meant as a place to learn about Hindu culture. Its carvings illustrate stories from the Ramayana and Mahabharata, and depict Indian musical instruments and classical dance postures. Figures from other traditions and from American history, such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Abraham Lincoln, also appear. The Brahm Kund, a traditional stepped pond, holds water that BAPS says comes from India's 108 holy rivers and from all 50 US states.
Heritage
History of BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham
BAPS first built a smaller mandir on the Robbinsville site: a Nagara-style temple of Italian Carrara marble, enclosed inside a modern building to protect the soft stone from north-eastern winters. Pramukh Swami Maharaj consecrated it in August 2014, and at the time it was described as an earlier phase of a larger planned complex.
Work on the wider Akshardham project ran from 2011 to 2023. Press reports say more than 12,500 volunteers took part, serving for anything from about ten days to more than five years. Roughly two million cubic feet of stone was used: Bulgarian limestone, chosen to withstand the New Jersey climate, for the exterior, with marble and other stone from Greece, Italy and India inside. The stone was carved in India and shipped to New Jersey for assembly.
Mahant Swami Maharaj inaugurated the Akshardham Mahamandir on 8 October 2023, and it opened to the public on 18 October 2023.
In May 2021 a federal lawsuit was filed on behalf of Indian workers brought to the site on religious-worker visas. It alleged forced labour and wage violations, including pay of about US$1 an hour. BAPS has said the allegations are without merit and that participants were religious volunteers performing seva. HinduTone could not confirm the current status of the case when this page was last reviewed (October 2026).
Architecture and sacred features
The mahamandir is a traditional carved stone temple. Press reports give its dimensions as about 255 ft by 345 ft and 191 ft high. Its walls, pillars and ceilings are carved with deities, saints, scenes from the epics, musical instruments and dance forms. Other features on the campus include Nilkanth Plaza, with a 49-ft statue of Bhagwan Swaminarayan as the young yogi Nilkanth Varni; the Brahm Kund stepped pond; the 2014 marble mandir; a welcome centre; and a vegetarian café.
Plan Your Visit
Darshan and Visitor Information
As listed by BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham (checked October 2026), entry is free and the campus is closed on Tuesdays. Advance reservations are needed only on six US federal holidays and on Diwali. Visitors must cover shoulders, chest, back and knees: no sleeveless or low-cut tops, and no shorts, skirts or dresses above the knee. Footwear is removed in the Mahamandir; commercial photography, outside food and drink, drones and large bags are not allowed; and children must be supervised. The site is wheelchair accessible, and courtesy wheelchairs are available.
Opening hours and reservation rules change, so confirm current arrangements with BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham before travelling.
Timings and arrangements change with seasons and festivals. Confirm current details with BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha (USA) (official website) before travelling. Last reviewed 5 October 2026.
Sacred Calendar
Festivals at BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham
Diwali and Annakut
Diwali is one of the days when Akshardham requires advance reservations, a sign of the crowds it draws. BAPS mandirs mark the Hindu New Year with Annakut, an offering of many vegetarian dishes.
Swaminarayan Jayanti and Ram Navami
Bhagwan Swaminarayan, to whom Akshardham is dedicated, was born on Ram Navami in 1781, so the two are celebrated together.
Mandir anniversary (Patotsav)
Marks the 8 October 2023 inauguration of the Akshardham Mahamandir.
Location
How to Reach BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham
Akshardham is at 112 N Main Street, Robbinsville, NJ 08561, in Mercer County. It lies roughly between New York City and Philadelphia, about 99 km south of New York according to press reports. The temple's visit page points visitors to OurBus for public transport. The major international airports in the region are Newark Liberty (EWR) and Philadelphia (PHL); the smaller Trenton-Mercer Airport (TTN) is closer to Robbinsville.
Rail travellers on NJ Transit's Northeast Corridor line or Amtrak can continue by taxi or ride-share from stations in the Trenton–Hamilton–Princeton Junction area. Check current routes before travelling.
Location: Robbinsville Township, Mercer County, New Jersey, United States 08561
Nearest airport: Trenton-Mercer (TTN); major: Newark Liberty (EWR), Philadelphia (PHL)
Nearest railway station: Northeast Corridor stations in the Trenton–Hamilton–Princeton Junction area
More in Hindu temples in New Jersey · Bhagwan Swaminarayan temples
Questions
BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham: Frequently Asked Questions
When did Akshardham in New Jersey open?
Mahant Swami Maharaj inaugurated the mahamandir on 8 October 2023, and it opened to the public on 18 October 2023.
Is there an entry fee?
No. Entry is free. Advance reservations are needed only on six federal holidays and Diwali.
Which day is Akshardham closed?
BAPS lists the campus as closed on Tuesdays. Check the official site for current hours.
What is the dress code?
Shoulders, chest, back and knees must be covered. Sleeveless tops and shorts, skirts or dresses above the knee are not allowed.
What is the Brahm Kund?
A traditional stepped pond on the campus. BAPS says it holds water from India's 108 holy rivers and from all 50 US states.
How big is the campus?
Press reports at the opening put the campus at about 185 acres. The mahamandir measures about 255 ft by 345 ft and is 191 ft tall.
Who built it?
BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha. It says more than 12,500 volunteers worked on the project between 2011 and 2023; a 2021 lawsuit by some workers disputes their status and pay.
Sources and attribution
- BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha — BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham (official site)
- BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha — Plan your visit
- BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha — Explore the campus
- NBC News — Largest Hindu temple outside Asia opens in New Jersey, built by 12,500 volunteers
- The Tribune (PTI) — Akshardham temple, billed to be second largest in world, inaugurated in US
- New Jersey 101.5 — See inside Hindu temple opening in NJ after toil by thousands
- Hinduism Today — Fully enclosed, ornate marble temple opens in New Jersey
- NBC News — Hindu temple in New Jersey accused of 'shocking' violations in forced labor lawsuit
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