Largest Hindu temple in the US inaugurated in New Jersey
Robbinsville (US) (PTI): BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham, the largest Hindu temple in the United States spread over 185 acres, has been inaugurated here, with devotees underscoring the temple's message of unity, peace and harmony for people living across America and the world.
The grand dedication ceremony of Akshardham in Robbinsville, New Jersey was conducted on Sunday in the presence of Mahant Swami Maharaj following a nine-day celebration that commenced on September 30.
Swami Maharaj performed the 'Pran Prathistha' ceremony at the temple amid rituals and traditional ceremonies.
The construction of the temple, dedicated to Bhagwan Swaminarayan, started in 2011 and concluded this year. It was created by 12,500 volunteers from around the world. Among the several key unique features of the temple is the largest elliptical dome ever constructed from stone.
Volunteer Lenin Joshi noted that Swaminarayan Akshardham presents India's heritage and culture to modern America.
Created by volunteers around the world, this masterpiece stands as an enduring symbol of love while preserving traditions and spreading messages of peace, hope, and harmony across generations, he said.
"We were waiting for this moment for the last several years," Joshi said, adding that the day has finally come when people from all around the country, irrespective of their faiths and religions, will be able to visit the temple and see the grand symbol of Indian Hindu tradition, peace, devotion and architectural marvel.
He said the temple has been built by nearly 12,500 volunteers - men, women and children from all walks of life - who took a break from their jobs and studies and dedicated themselves for days and months to construct the temple.
Highlighting some of the unique aspects of the temple, Joshi said 1.9 million cubic feet of stone was used in its constriction. The stone was sourced from over 29 different sites around the world, including granite from India, sandstone from Rajasthan, teakwood from Myanmar, marble from Greece, Turkey and Italy and limestone from Bulgaria and Turkey.
He said the temple was designed to incorporate elements from ancient Indian art, architecture and culture, including 10,000 statues, carvings of ancient Indian musical instruments and dance forms as well as water from the holy rivers of India.
Deputy Commissioner at the New York City Mayor's Office for International Affairs, Dilip Chauhan told PTI here that the inauguration and dedication of the Akshardham temple is a "dream come true" for devotees, volunteers and followers across the US.
He said the Akshardham in Robbinsville is a temple not just for any one community but "this cultural complex is going to bring all communities together" and will be a bridge between the local, state, and federal government and the faith-based community.
"We can see real diversity here," Chauhan said.
Chauhan said US Congresswoman Grace Meng has dedicated October 8, 2023, as Akshardham Day' in the Congressional District 6 of New York City borough of Queens, including west, central, and northeast Queens.
He said though Akshardham is based in New Jersey, New York also wants to be part of it. "New York, New Jersey, and the entire United States want to celebrate the significance of Akshardham" which is why Congresswoman Meng has dedicated October 8, 2023, as Akshardham Day'.
Underlining New York City Mayor Eric Adams's message of "breaking bread and building bonds", Chauhan said the temple underscores the message of unity in diversity and harmony.
Yogi Trivedi from New York, a scholar of media and religion, underscored that the spirit of selfless service and devotion are the foundation of the temple.
"This spirit will speak to not just Hindu-Americans, Indians and Indian-Americans but to America and the world at large. It is that sense of inclusivity and the sense of bringing people together that will speak to those who visit the temple," said Trivedi, who is also an author specialising in Bhakti Studies and a volunteer at the temple.
He said while the architectural innovation is awe-inspiring in itself, the innovation in the temple's messaging is unique and path-breaking.
"Akshardham Mahamandir is embedded in tradition and at the same time embracing innovation," he said, pointing out that as one walks around the Mahamandir's base plinth one will see messages from the lives of Sri Krishna and Lord Ram, the Vedas and Upanishads as well as messages of democracy, liberty, equality and freedom from iconic leaders of American society and the western world that will resonate with visitors.
These include Socrates, Albert Einstein, Rumi, former President Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King.
"These messages which are universal now speak to the Americans, the Hindu Americans and the international visitor that comes here in a way that is familiar to them. This is a Sanatan Hindu Mandir with an articulation of that universal message that speaks to the world," he said.
Trivedi said at a time when the world is really divided and there are divisions among people in American society also, "this Mandir is a step in that direction to bring those people together, to help people realise that we need to celebrate humanity, need to celebrate the things we share, have in common and not those that divide us. That is the message of our Guru Pramukh Swami Maharaj and that is the central theme and message of this inclusive Mahamandir Akshardham".
Globally, BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardhams are landmarks of Hindu art, architecture, and culture and serve as spiritual and community hubs, open to people of all faiths and backgrounds.
"Akshardham in New Jersey marks the third such cultural complex globally. The first Akshardham was created in Gandhinagar, the capital of Gujarat, India, in 1992, followed by Akshardham in New Delhi in 2005," a statement said.
During the week, India's Permanent Representative at the UN Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj led a delegation of ambassadors and representatives from the United Nations to the temple ahead of the grand dedication ceremony on October 8.
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Delhi horror: IRS officer's daughter raped, murdered by former househelp
New Delhi (PTI): A 22-year-old IIT graduate and daughter of a senior Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer was allegedly raped and murdered at her residence by their former househelp in southeast Delhi's upscale Kailash Hills locality on Wednesday morning, hours after he sexually assaulted another woman in Rajasthan's Alwar.
Rahul Meena, the 19-year-old domestic help who had worked with the family for around eight months and was sacked around a month ago, has been arrested for the crime, police said this evening.
The woman, who was preparing for the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) examination, was alone in her house at the time of the incident and was found murdered in a room by her family members when they returned from the gym, they said.
Preliminary inquiry suggests the woman was sexually assaulted before being strangled to death using a mobile phone charger cable, the police said, adding they are waiting for the postmortem report for confirmation of sexual assault.
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The police also said they have detained two persons -- a car cleaner in the area, and a househelp in the neighbourhood -- for questioning.
A senior police officer said that the victim's parents would lock the house in the morning and leave the keys outside for their domestic help.
Meena was aware of the location of the keys and allegedly used them to enter the house on Wednesday. The accused was familiar with the household, including its layout and the daily routine of the family members.
He knew when the victim's parents would step out for their walk or gym sessions.
Meena, a native of Rajasthan, had been removed from his job around a month ago for alleged misappropriation of daily purchase bills, the officer said after preliminary investigation.
An official said that the victim was alone at the residence at the time of the incident, adding that the accused entered the house around 6 am, attacked the woman and sexually assaulted her. She was allegedly hit with a stick, inflicting significant blunt force trauma on her face and head.
Subsequently, the attacker strangled her using a mobile charging cable before fleeing the spot. The police also said there is no information about the verification of the accused when he was hired.
The sources said the victim put up a strong resistance, following which the accused struck her on the head with a stick to overpower her before strangling her with a charging cable.
The police suspect the crime was committed between 6 am and 7 am, a time likely chosen as two other domestic workers usually arrive later in the day.
A police source said that after the incident, the family members immediately checked CCTV footage and saw Meena entering their building and going to the third floor of the house belonging to the victim.
The family has already handed over the entire CCTV footage to the police.
The police said the suspect was also seen on a nearby street camera carrying a backpack.
They said Meena is also wanted in a sexual assault case in Rajasthan's Alwar.
"A case against the accused was registered on Wednesday. He committed the offence on April 21 with a woman in Rajgarh and fled from Alwar, around 170 km from here, to Delhi.
"An FIR has been registered at the Rajgarh Police Station against him. We are in contact with the Delhi Police, and a team of the Delhi Police has also visited here to question his family members," an officer in Alwar told PTI.
The police earlier said Meena, who was seen outside the house even a few days ago, was missing since the incident, and a manhunt has been launched to trace and apprehend him.
"We are examining all possible angles and gathering evidence," a senior police official said.
The police received information about the incident around 9 am from the victim's parents, who alleged that their former domestic help was involved in the killing of their daughter.
The police said that the woman had completed engineering and was preparing for the civil services examination.
"What we have got to know is that after committing the crime in Rajasthan, he fled from there and came to Delhi. He directly reached here in Kailash Hills. He knew the exact point where girls' parents would hide keys when they would step out for the gym.
"He entered the house when one of the security guards had gone either to attend nature's call or for tea. After committing the crime, he fled towards the jungle side. We are also investigating if the accused changed his clothes just before fleeing," a police officer privy to the investigation told PTI.
CCTV cameras were installed at the entrance of the victim's room, with the live feed accessible on both the victim's and her father's mobile phones, said the officer.
Earlier, the police said that it was suspected that the accused fled with the mobile phone of the victim. They said that more than 20 teams of different units and police stations were working on the case.
The brutal incident has sent shockwaves across the upscale residential locality. Locals expressed concern over safety and security in these neighbourhoods.
Greater Kailash MLA Shikha Roy said the victim was a bright and talented young woman with a promising future, and her death is a painful loss for the entire community.
"I have known her personally for several years and have seen her grow up as a sincere, disciplined and exceptionally talented girl. She was brilliant in her studies, had completed engineering from IIT Delhi, and was preparing for the UPSC examination with great determination.
"She was an equally good dancer and other cultural activities, and despite being deeply focused on her studies, she remained humble and connected with people around her," Roy said.
A case has been registered, and forensic teams have collected evidence from the crime scene.
Some recent cases involving househelps:
- A horrifying double murder rocked Delhi's Lajpat Nagar locality in 2025, where a mother and her 14-year-old son were found brutally murdered inside their home. Both victims had their throats slit by their domestic help.
- Delhi Police in 2024 filed a chargesheet in the case of a 63-year-old doctor's murder in his home in south Delhi's Jangpura. Police named three persons as accused. Among them was a domestic help. They were charged under sections of murder, robbery and criminal conspiracy.
- A 17-year-old domestic worker was apprehended and her associate was arrested by the Delhi Police for the murder-robbery of a 66-year-old woman in her house in Dwarka in 2023.
