On Guruwar, our Acharaya and teachers surprised us by taking us on a pilgrimage to the Akshardham temple. We silently embarked on a four-hour long journey, listening to soothing chants and occasionally sharing inspiring stories along the way. Greeted by rain and welcomed by traffic, but nothing could dampen our pilgrim spirit. As we arrived at the magnificent temple and stepped through one of the ten gates, each of us was enthralled and marveled at the sheer beauty of the temple with its central majestic sanctuary and embracing arcades.

We were welcomed by the aarti as we stepped inside the main temple, bowing our heads down in reverence to Bhagwan Swaminarayan. We then paid our respects to the other idols of hindu deities Radha Krishna, Sita Ram, Laxmi Narayan, Shiva Parvati by chanting mantras at each of their altars. All of the beautiful deities were created so artistically they had a life-like quality about them. The intricate artwork of the temple left us in awe, reminding us of the immense potential within each of us. As we stood below the circular dome shaped structure, our eyes were lost above as if we were being drawn up to the heavenly abode depicted so intricately above. Just as the stone has been chiseled into beautiful forms, so too can we shape ourselves into something extraordinary if we choose to do so.

In the introductory exhibition the history of the construction was narrated to us along with a thoughtful contemplation – it took the hands of thousands of devoted sculptors to build the huge temple. How many sculptors are needed to chisel our own personality in order to come closer to Truth? Only one. We are the sculptors of our own mind and life.

We then moved on to the Hall of Values exhibition, which depicted the core teachings and short life story of Bhagwan Swaminarayan using realistic puppets. They demonstrated qualities of unconditional love, compassion, selfless service and how a devotee should have faith in his master. This was followed by the cultural boat ride, showcasing the Vedic era and the astounding gems of India’s ancient culture and contributions in the areas of science, art, literature, filling us with a profound sense of pride in our heritage. Yet, it also brought a touch of despair as we reflected on our country’s current challenges.

The thematic movie depicting the life of Swami Narayan Bhagwan was deeply inspiring. It told the story of a small boy Neelkanth who fearlessly left home in the search of moksha. On the way there he explored India, overcoming dangers and negative forces with such grace and love that it makes one question the very existence of fear itself. He traveled barefoot while clothed in a dhoti and only carried a pot for seeking alms and a mala to practice his japa. People who encountered him were deeply impressed by his strong faith and determination and soon recognised they were standing in front of an enlightened master.

One of the stories struck a deep chord; one evening the little boy was meditating under a tree despite the warnings of the villagers who told him there were ferocious lions. Neelkanth remained sitting in meditation absolutely fearless. In the night a lion came, ready to attack him but Neelkanth lovingly greeted the lion and talked to him. Through his expanded heart he saw the lion and himself as part of one and the same creation, so who should fear whom?

Many villagers wished to be graced by his stay in their village, they seeked to serve him and be blessed by his teachings but Neelkanth was immovable: no attachments neither to people nor to places. He chose to continue his journey, despite all dangers and discomforts. He was above any kind of body identification and totally fearless.

When people felt disappointed when they were not able to serve such a great avatar, he used to tell them: “Serve each other as if you were serving me. By loving each other you will love myself as well. Love knows no distance.” This sentence remains impressed in our heart and reminds us that the light of the Guru is always present within us, wherever we are, in the moment we do selfless service in their name.

Another quote that hit home was “Anger, ego, power, greed and hatred are the primary reasons for a war to start. All wars first start in mind and then manifest in the real world. So a person who takes care of thoughts and values can keep themself at peace and also the community of humanity in peace.” It makes one wonder about the real power of man and how man has been using that power with negative intention to pursue lowly goals. We truly must rise above by inculcating love towards each other and make spiritual enlightenment our goal.

Overall our visit to Akshardham in Delhi was a transformative journey through time, culture and especially spirituality. Akshardham not only celebrated India’s glorious past but also inspired us to think deeply about how we can contribute to a brighter future. Each of us has returned with a heart full of inspirations, revitalized energy and spiritual elevation that we garnered from Akshardham. We are incredibly thankful to our teachers for taking the efforts to organize this beautiful, short trip with a glorious blend of art, architecture, learning and devotion combined with various lessons of life.

Editor’s Note:

Anna, Arun, Manisha, and Prudhvi are students at the Swami Rama Dhyana Gurukulam. They went on a pilgrimage to the Akshardham temple in Delhi as a part of their Gurukulam program, along with the Gurukulam Acharya (Rabindra Sahu) and the Gurukulam Administrator (Dr Swati Saharan) on 29 August 2024.