Robbinsville’s Akshardham: The Largest Hindu Temple Outside Asia

The BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham temple in Robbinsville, New Jersey, is the largest Hindu temple outside Asia, spanning 183 acres and built with over 1.9 million cubic feet of hand-carved stone. Designed according to ancient Indian architectural texts, it features no steel or concrete, relying instead on interlocked stone from around the world. Highlights include 12 sub-shrines, a 49-foot bronze statue of Bhagwan Swaminarayan, and carvings of both Hindu deities and secular icons like Martin Luther King Jr. and Socrates. The temple also incorporates sustainability through a solar panel farm and heated dome. While celebrated as a cultural and spiritual landmark, its construction faced legal scrutiny over alleged labor exploitation of low-caste Indian workers brought on religious visas. Despite controversy, the temple stands as a symbol of immigrant identity, devotion, and pluralism, blending sacred tradition with American ideals.

Source :https://parametric-architecture.com/robbinsvilles-akshardham/