The Voorhees Cultural and Diversity Club took an inspiring visit to the BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham Temple in Robbinsville on Nov. 9.
The iconic temple – the largest Hindu temple in America and second-largest in the world – offered club members an immersive experience in Hindu culture, spirituality and art.
The Akshardham Temple towers 213 feet above ground and encompasses 12,000 square feet. Its intricate construction – from Italian Carrara marble, Indian pink stone and limestone – involved more than 27,000 volunteers.
Club chair Stephanie Fisher, a trip organizer, described the temple visit as both enlightening and awe-inspiring.
“We had quite a day and were able to see some of the most historic items ever,” she recounted. “This temple is world-renowned, and there were millions of people visiting the temple (on Nov. 9) from all walks of life. It’s truly an edifice to be seen by all.”
One of the most moving moments of the trip for club members was seeing a quote by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. displayed on the temple’s walls.
“Many of us were moved by Dr. King’s words on the wall,” Fisher shared, noting the powerful connection between the civil rights leader’s message of peace and equality and the temple’s dedication to fostering cultural understanding and diversity.
With 13 shrines – including a central one dedicated to Swaminarayan and Gunatitanand Swami – the temple is both a place of worship and a cultural hub. Visitors can view its elaborate marble carvings, participate in Hindu rituals and learn about Hinduism itself.
The complex also includes a congregation hall and is operated by the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, a Hindu denomination dedicated to faith, humanitarian service and promoting Indian culture and heritage.
Fisher reflected on the physical but worthwhile demands of the day.
“It was a lot of walking,” she said. “Many of us (club members) were on walkers or in wheelchairs because the walking was so intense, but no one complained because of the history that we were witnessing. It should be noted that 27,000 volunteers were responsible for building this beautiful temple. It was handmade.”
The Akshardham campus – open daily from 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., except on Tuesday – requires free visitor registration on weekends, national holidays and select Hindu holidays. The vast complex is not just a place of religious significance but also serves as a center for education and cultural exchange, with the BAPS Swaminarayan Research Institute offering resources for research, learning and cultural preservation.
Fisher expressed the club members’ desire to return.
“Many of us have agreed that we need to go back,” she noted, “just to see more of this beautiful, historic edifice.”
The trip provided club members an opportunity to connect with the themes of identity, self-acceptance and cultural diversity, values shared in both the temple’s mission and the club’s own goals.
“Whether our audience is younger or older, I hope they take away the messaging about learning to embrace their differences,” Fisher reflected. “The challenges they face don’t define them; instead, they make them strong and capable.”
