Visit BAPS Swaminarayan Temple in Ahmedabad: The Temple With Intricate Carvings And Sculptures All Over Its Walls and Pillars (2024)
BAPS Swaminarayan temple in Gujarat is a place of religious and tourist interest. The BAPS stand for Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha and the headquarter is in Ahmedabad. If you are planning to visit the BAPS Swaminarayan Temple, read this article to know what to expect.
BAPS Swaminarayan Temple Experience
The BAPS Swaminarayan Temple has intricate carvings and sculptures all over its walls and pillars. The color that you see here is white. This temple is one of the few that have sculptures of not just divine beings but earthly individuals as well at the walls. All over, you see several structures of marble, including the staircase. The main sanctum sanctorum has rich decorations that are golden colored, and you see the idol of Shree Ghanshyam Maharaj, Bhagwan Swaminarayan, and Aksharbrahman Gunatitanad Swami, and Shri Gopalanand Swami.
You also see idols of Shri Harikrishna Maharaj and Shri Radha-Krishna Dev. They have exquisite decorations, and all these are a sight to see. Currently, they are behind barricades, and you will be able to take a darshan only from a distance. There’s no information about whether photography and videography are allowed inside the temple premises or not. Inside the premises, you see several intricately sculpted and carved pillars. You will be able to spend around an hour exploring the various parts of the temple. Spending even an hour here is a calming and serene experience. You get to see people of the Swaminarayan Sect and understand part of their lifestyle.
The BAPS Swaminarayan Temple is in the heart of the city of Ahmedabad, and therefore a great example of how religious fervor and modern life can exist alongside each other. There are some other statues of the deities and saints of the Swaminarayan sect, and they are some of the most beautiful idols you will ever see. While all temples are clean and well-maintained, the BAPS Swaminarayan Temple stands out when it comes to cleanliness and is something that everyone should experience at least once.
The Swaminarayan sect is spread all over the world, and its founder, Bhagwan Swaminarayan is revered all over. In the premises, you will also see several artifacts that are relevant to the Swaminarayan sect. The BAPS Swaminarayan is a vast premise, so you might take a bit more time to explore the entire location. The temple is in Ahmedabad, and there are several other places that you can visit in Ahmedabad. For example, you have the Huteesing Jain temple, the Ambaji temple, the Hanuman Mandir, and others.
Places To Visit Near BAPS Swaminarayan Temple
If you are spending a weekend in Ahmedabad, you can visit several places that are of historical as well as tourist importance. For example, you can visit the Sabarmati Ashram, which is a short walk from the temple. The Sabarmati Ashram was also the place where Mahatma Gandhi stayed. The Sabarmati Ashram now has a museum that tells you about the life and times of Mahatma Gandhi. At a distance of about half an hour, you will be able to visit the Auto Vintage Museum, which, as the name suggests, has some of the most antique cars in India. The museum is a must-visit for anyone interested in the history of cars in India.
Places To Stay Near BAPS Swaminarayan Temple
Ahmedabad is a business hub and a place of tourist interest. Therefore, you will see several accommodation options that cater to all budgets. You have hotels like the Spot On franchise of hotels, that offer you rooms for about 1000 rupees. You also have the Hotel Sanskar, the Hotel Sher-E-Punjab, and Hotel Divya Palace that offer you rooms for anything between 500 to 1000 rupees per night, depending on the season and the crowd. Ahmedabad has budget hotels as well as super-service hotels, like the Hyatt Ahmedabad, which has rooms going for about 3000 per night.
If you are looking for something budget, take a look at the dormitories, which offer you a cot and a place to store your belongings for as low as 100 rupees per night. Dormitories are best for big groups and people traveling on a budget. Some dormitories offer air-conditioned halls as well, so while the comfort might not be an issue, privacy is – as you don’t have a private toilet and bathroom.
How to Reach BAPS Swaminarayan Temple?
The exact address for BAPS Swaminarayan Temple in Ahmedabad is Shahibaug Road, Jain Colony, Shahibag, Ahmedabad. This temple is in the heart of Ahmedabad, so you shouldn’t have any trouble reaching it at any time of the day.
Ahmedabad in Gujarat is an important tourist place as well as a business hub. It connects well with the major cities and states of India. Ahmedabad has a railway station that’s on all the major routes as well as an airport. Ahmedabad connects well via air with Mumbai, Bangalore, and other such places. You can reach Ahmedabad via road too. Several private buses take this route, and you have State Transport buses that pass on this route as well.