Swaminarayan Akshardham, Gandhinagar

Opened

1992

Closed

Mondays

Entry fee

Free (exhibitions and show ticketed)

Nearest airport

Ahmedabad

Ideal time needed

2–3 hours

What to see

The main monument is built without steel, using carved stone, and its pillars, domes and balconies are covered in detailed sculpture. Inside is a gold-leafed murti of Bhagwan Swaminarayan.

Around it are exhibition halls that use films, dioramas and displays to present stories from Indian scriptures and the life of Swaminarayan, as well as well-kept gardens where families spend the evening. The complex is the older sibling of the Akshardham in Delhi, which was modelled on it.

Evening show

After dark, a water, light and sound show is held in the complex. Tickets for the exhibitions and the show are sold separately at the counter, and timings vary by season, so check on the day.

Timings and rules

The temple is closed on Mondays. Mobile phones, cameras, bags and electronic items are not allowed inside and must be deposited at the cloakroom before entry. Dress modestly, with shoulders and knees covered. Entry to the temple itself is free. Weekends and holidays are crowded, so a weekday morning is the calmest time to look at the carving closely, and the cloakroom queues are shorter then too.

How to reach

Gandhinagar lies next to Ahmedabad, and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad is the nearest airport. Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar both have railway stations, and taxis and buses connect the two cities. Allow two to three hours for the visit, longer if you stay for the show. Evenings are pleasant for most of the year, but summer afternoons in Gujarat are very hot, so the cooler months from October to March suit sightseeing best. Food is available at the complex's own vegetarian restaurant. We can include Akshardham in a Gujarat itinerary with Ahmedabad.

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