In a mesmerizing display of devotion, the Swaminarayan Akshardham Temple in Chansad village, Vadodara, was adorned with the warm glow of 11,000 earthen lamps as devotees gathered to celebrate the spiritual essence of the sacred site. Chansad, a historic locale and the birthplace of the fifth spiritual successor of Bhagwan Swaminarayan, Pramukh Swami Maharaj, resonated with the evening maha aarti performed by priests amidst the traditional Hindu architecture.
The temple is an aesthetically pleasing monument to Hindu traditions, designed with painstaking devotion to traditional Indian architectural science, the shilpa shastras. The lighting of 11,000 diyas, or clay lights, is a passionate sacrifice to God that honours His grandeur and divinity.
A devotee shared with ANI, “Every day Prampujiya Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s birthplace and the Narayan Sarovar are illuminated with thousands of earthen lamps. This is a place of devotion. Everyone gathers here with devotion, and the whole scenario becomes an act of giving, a centre of attraction.”
The grand earthen lamp offerings commenced with Dhanteras and are a tribute to Prampujiya Pramukh Swami Maharaj, whose life illuminated the world with the light of culture. The temple, reaching 108 feet into the sky, boasts intricately carved pillars, ornate domes, stone beams, and statues of spiritual personalities in Hinduism.
The birthplace of Pramukh Swami Maharaj, located near Vadodara, holds significant cultural importance. The village’s Narayan Sarovar, a pond associated with memories of Pramukh Swami Maharaj, was recently renovated and stands as a testament to the spiritual legacy he left behind.