Explore Business Standard
Akshardham Temple
The hot air balloon rides at Delhi's Baansera Park near Sarai Kale Khan have drawn visitors of all age groups, from children to senior citizens, many of whom visited the attraction for the first time. Pinki and Dinesh Kumar travelled from Ghaziabad to take the ride, while several others reached the park early to secure their turn. Anil Jain, a resident of Rajouri Garden, is in his 80s and said he had come to witness the activity out of curiosity. "This is only the second time I have seen something like this here. I had taken a hot air balloon ride nearly 25 years ago near the Red Fort," he said. Deepak Jain, who bought three tickets for his wife and brother, was among the first riders of the day. "It was our first experience, and we were thrilled. From the balloon we could see the Akshardham Temple, Humayun's Tomb and the beautiful view of the river," he said. His wife, Babita Jain, said more arrangements should be made for senior citizens. "We had to climb into the basket and t
US Vice President J D Vance, his Indian-origin wife Usha and their three children began their India trip on Monday with a visit to the sprawling Swaminarayan Akshardham Temple near the banks of the Yamuna. The Vances, who are here for a four-day visit during which they are also scheduled to travel to Jaipur and Agra, were at the temple complex for about an hour. The children -- Ewan, Vivek and Mirabel, all three dressed in Indian attire -- were the cynosure of many an eye. "Thank you all so much for your hospitality and kindness in welcoming me and my family to this beautiful place. It is a great credit to India that you built a beautiful temple with precision and care. Our kids, in particular, loved it. God bless," the vice president wrote in the temple guest book. Once done, the family posed for camera crews outside the imposing facade of the temple. "They were given a traditional welcome after which they had 'darshan'. A carved wooden elephant, a model of the Delhi Akshardham .
A Hindu temple, billed to be the second-largest in the world, and the largest in the western hemisphere, has been inaugurated in US' New Jersey, 99 kilometres south of New York City. Spread over a sprawling 185 acres, the Akshardham Temple in Robbinsville City of New Jersey stands at 191 feet high. The temple was inaugurated on October 8 in the presence of Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan (BAPS) leader Mahant Swami Maharaj, with several thousand people attending the event. It was Pramukh Swami Maharaj's divine wish to construct an Akshardham in North America, where people can come and visit, irrespective of race, creed or religion, said Mahant Swami Maharaj. The inauguration ceremony was attended by Delaware Governor John Carney and Congressman Steny Hoyer. It is the second largest ever Hindu temple on this globe planet and of course, the largest in the Western hemisphere, which was inaugurated on October 8th, on the 90th birthday celebrations of Mahant Swami Maharaj.