Places of Religious Significance
The Akshardham Temple
The Swaminarayan Akshardham in New Delhi embodies
thousands of years of Indian culture. It is a showcase
of India’s historical architecture and spiritual
tradition. This temple has gained an iconic status in
the city. It is spread over an area of about 100 acres.
The temple has been constructed with pink sandstone. The
temple offers the children an opportunity to learn about
the nation’s ancient grandeur. Besides the breathtaking
architecture, the temple complex offers boat rides,
musical fountains and exquisite gardens for the children
to have some fun. The pillars of the temple are famous
for their consummate artistry which encompasses flora,
dancers, musicians and the Hindu Gods. The Inner Sanctum
or the Garbhagriha is a reminder of the Gothic
architecture. The temple’s premises lead to the tranquil
Narayan Sarovar. This holy lake contains water flowing
in from 151 rivers and lakes sanctified by Bhagwan
Swaminarayan.
Lotus Temple
Even from a distance, the famous Lotus Temple can be
seen as enormous, white and spotless lotus soaring high
from the hills of Kalkaji in New Delhi. This
lotus-shaped Hindu shrine was opened to the public in
December 1986. It was designed by architect Fariburz
Sabha. The temple is nestled in the midst of a
picturesque backdrop with lush manicured gardens. The
lotus petals of the temple signify the secularity of all
faiths. The 35m high lotus petals are made of a special
Korean concrete that was later overlaid with white
marble. However, the most astonishing feature of the
temple that puzzles every tourist is the absence of any
particular deity. When visited during the evenings, the
whole temple glitters like a jewel.
Birla Temple
This Orissa-styled temple was erected by the
world-famous industrialist B.D. Birla in 1938 and was
inaugurated by Mahatma Gandhi himself. This is perhaps
the most revered Hindu temple in Delhi. The temple
enshrines most deities of the Hindu belief but the
presiding deity is Vishnu and his consort Lakshmi, the
Goddess of prosperity and fortune. The temple portrays
an alluring blend of cream and red and combines Hindu
mythology and ancient Indian architecture. The temple
exhibits the Nagara style of architecture. The main
spire or the shikhara is nestled above the chamber,
soaring at 160 ft. The temple also has a Buddhist
shrine. There is an arena that is known as the gym of
Bhima, the second of Pandavas. Children can enjoy the
miniature rock temples in the backyard of the temple.
Jama Masjid
This is the world’s largest mosque. It was built in 1656
AD. It was designed by Ostad Khalil, a famous Mughal
architect. The mosque has an obvious influence of
Persian Architecture. It took 13 years to build the
mosque and nearly 5,000 craftsmen were employed. The
mosque was built in red sand stone and is nearly 261
feet long and 90 feet wide. Its roof is covered with
three domes that have alternate stripes of black and
white marble. The entrance is possible through three
main gates. It is surrounded by many small eateries and
restaurants and a visit to the Jama Masjid without
digging into the non-vegetarian delicacies is considered
a culinary sin.
Chattarpur Mandir
Chattarpur Mandir is situated near Qutub Minar, in the
Mehrauli area of Delhi. The stunning temple complex is
an Indian architectural wonder. All the shrines in the
complex are built with white marble. Comparatively
recent in its construction, it rivals the splendour of
the Mughal architecture of the city. Devotees from all
over Delhi and surrounding areas come to pay in the
temple. The main shrine of the temple is dedicated to
Goddess Durga and exhibits traits of the exotic temple
architecture that is found in southern shores of India.
The temple is famous for its Durga Puja celebrations.
There is a common belief that tying a thread on a tree
inside the complex of the temple fulfils one's desires.
The splendour of the temple is complimented by the
surrounding lush green gardens. There are other idols of
Hindu gods like Vishnu, Ganesha, Lakshmi and Shiva.
ISKCON Temple
The ISKCON Temple in the East of Kailash area of New
Delhi was built in 1998. This temple is famous for its 'Shikharas'
that rise as high as 90 ft. The temple has an
air-conditioned hall to host nearly 1,500 people. The
art paintings have been done by Russian artists and
detail many famous mythological Hindu characters like
Radha-Krishna, Sita-Ram, Hanuman and Chaitanya
Mahaprabhu. The temple is mainly dedicated to Lord
Krishna. The temple also houses a museum which organizes
shows to explain the philosophy behind the Hindu epics
Ramayana and Mahabharata. |
