Aksharwadi Swaminarayan Temple

Pilgrimage

Photo Credit: Flickr

Distance (From Bhavnagar Railway Station): 4 Kms

Trip Duration (Including Travel): 30 Mins - 1 Hr

Place Location: In Askharwadi Locality

Transportation Options: Cab / Auto

Travel Tips: None

At a distance of 4 km from Bhavnagar Railway Station, BAPS Swaminarayan Temple is a beautiful temple located in Askharwadi locality of Bhavnagar, Gujarat. Situated on Waghawadi road, it is one of the well-known BAPS Mandirs in Gujarat and among the must-visit places in Bhavnagar.

Opened in 2006, BAPS Swaminarayan temple is a major religious place that serves as a place for enlightenment as well as education and entertainment for many years. Dedicated to Lord Swaminarayan, the temple was constructed by the society of BAPS Sri Seva Sansthan. The main objective of this temple is to spread the teachings and discourses of Lord Swaminarayan.

The temple was built in two stories with three domes according to traditional Hindu architecture. It is designed in accordance with the Shilpa shastras. The Akshardham mandir consists of 97 intricately carved pillars, 17 ornate domes, 220 stone beams, 57 stone screens, 3 porticos, and 256 statues of spiritual personalities in Hinduism. The temple premises consist of various terracotta works, wall paintings, and carvings, idols of various deities and cradle of Lord Krishna. There is a garden which surrounds the temple, it adds to its natural beauty. Shree Swaminarayan Bhagwan had installed the idols of Gopinathji Maharaj and Harikrishna Maharaj in the middle part of the temple. The idol of Dharmdev and Bhakti Mata and Vasudevanarayan were placed on the western side and idols of Revti-Baldevji, Sri Krishna and Suryanarayan adorns the eastern part of the temple.

There is a prasadi temple which is a museum of all the items of Swaminarayan Bhagwan are displayed. The Akshar Oradi temple and Ganagajalio well is situated on the backside of the temple. Lakshmivadi is the place of Lord Swaminarayan's cremation. A temple of a single dome is built at the place where the funeral rites of the lord were performed. River Ghelo flows in the south side of the temple. Small temples of Neelkanth Mahadev and Lord Hanuman are made on the banks of the river. Adjacent to the temple there are shops from which one can buy herbal products, books and other essentials for the puja.

Timings: 7.30 AM - 12 PM & 4 PM - 8.15 PM