Swaminarayan Akshardham opened in 2005 on the eastern bank of the Yamuna. Built by the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha and dedicated to Bhagwan Swaminarayan, it is a vast complex of carved pink sandstone and white marble, gardens, exhibitions and a stepwell-style amphitheatre. It is one of the most visited places in Delhi.
Before you go
- Closed on Mondays.
- No phones or cameras. Mobile phones, cameras, smartwatches and most electronics are not allowed inside. A free cloakroom takes them at the entrance, but queues can be long on weekends.
- Bags: only small purses are allowed.
- Dress: shoulders and knees should be covered; wraps are provided if needed.
- Payments: carry some cash for tickets and the food court.
What to see
The central monument is covered in carvings of deities, saints, dancers and animals, and is built in stone without steel reinforcement. Around it, the Gajendra Peeth plinth has a frieze of elephants. The exhibitions — including a boat ride through dioramas of Indian history and a large-format film — are ticketed and take a couple of hours. The evening water show, set in the stepwell amphitheatre, is also ticketed and starts after sunset.
A simple plan
Arrive by mid-afternoon, deposit your phone, walk around the monument and gardens, see one or two exhibitions, eat at the vegetarian food court, and stay for the water show. Buy exhibition and show tickets as soon as you enter, as they can sell out on busy days.
