Akshardham Temple
Swaminarayan Akshardham reflects the essence and magnitude of India's ancient architecture, traditions and timeless spirituality.
The main monument, depicting ancient Indian "vastu shastra" and architecture, is a marvel in pink sandstone and white marble that is 141 feet high, 316 feet wide and 370 feet long with 234 ornate pillars, over 20,000 sculptures and statues of deities, eleven 72-foot-high huge domes (mandapams) and decorative arches. And like a necklace, a double-storied parikrama of red sandstone encircles the monuments with over 155 small domes and 1,160 pillars. The whole monument rises on the shoulders of 148 huge elephants with 11-feet tall panchdhatu statue of Swaminarayan presiding over the structure.
The other attractions of the complex are three exhibition halls spaced around two huge ponds, where one is a venue for light-and-sound show. The three halls are "Sahajanand Darshan", "Neelkanth Darsdhan" and "Sanskruti Vihar". "Sahajanand Darshan" is where life of Swaminarayan is displayed through robotic shows, while "Neelkanth Darsdhan" has a huge I-Max theatre screening movie based on the life of the Lord. Another amazing presentation is "Sanskruti Vihar" with 12-minute boat ride experience of India's glorious heritage.
The sprawling Swaminarayan Akshardham complex spread over 30 acres on the banks of the Yamuna near Noida Mor in East Delhi.
For visitors, entry to the complex is free. However, those who want to visit exhibition halls and theatres, Rs.125 is to be paid and for children and senior citizens the charges are Rs.75. "Over 6,000 visitors could easily witness the shows and enjoy boat-rides everyday, while over 25,000 people can visit the temple. We have deployed almost 140 guides who will facilitate visitors during their visit. It requires at least four hours to visit the entire complex thoroughly and see all the shows," said a temple management committee member, adding that the opening ceremony would be telecast live on Aastha channel. Elaborate security arrangements have also been made for the entire complex. Besides installing close circuit television cameras it has also deployed hundreds of its own security personnel.
The Rs.400-crore cultural complex, inspired by Pramukh Swami Maharaj of the Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS), will be popularised by its builders as "a place for cultural education and entertainment". The temple complex has drawn inspiration for its architecture from the historic temples of Badrinath (Uttaranchal), Somnath (Gujarat) and Konark (Orissa). It is the second Akshardham complex in the country after the one at Gandhinagar in Gujarat.
Even as last-minute preparations are now on for the inauguration, curious visitors have started coming in for a look or for offering "puja" and "abhishek".
At the heart of the complex is a palace-like monument built of at least 12,000 tons of pink sandstone and white marble brought in from Rajasthan. Topped with a series of domes, it stands 129 feet high, 275 feet wide and 315 feet long. Almost every square inch of the exterior has been exquisitely carved with statues and motifs of Hindu deities and Indian flora and fauna.
Pramukh Swami Maharaj, the 83-year-old spiritual leader of the Swaminarayan sect that has over 10 lakh followers across the globe, has closely monitored every detail of the complex. It took over 7,000 builders, masons and polishers to build the complex in record time. The place is built to withstand major quakes "and to last at least a thousand years".
The complex has two huge exhibition halls; one will take visitors on a visual journey through India's cultural heritage, while the other "will depict Indian moral values through a light-and-sound show". The complex also boasts of an Imax cinema, a canteen big enough to accommodate 5,000 people at one sitting, a research centre for "social harmony" and meditation gardens dotted with fountains and bronze sculptures.
Jama Masjid
The DILLI HAAT provides the ambience of a traditional Rural Haat or village market, but one suited for more contemporary needs. Here one sees a synthesis of crafts, food and cultural activity.
This Food and Craft Bazar is a treasure house of Indian culture, handicrafts and ethnic cuisine, A unique bazaar, in the heart of the city, it displays the richness of Indian culture on a permanent basis.
Step inside the complex for an altogether delightful experience by either buying inimitable ethnic wares, savouring the delicacies of different states or by simply relaxing in the evening with the entire family.
DILLI HAAT transports you to the magical world of Indian art and heritage presented through a fascinating panorama of craft, cuisine and cultural activities.
While the village haat is a mobile, flexible arrangement, here it is crafts persons who are mobile. The DILLI HAAT boasts of nearly 200 craft stalls selling native, utilitarian and ethnic products from all over the country.
An ambitious project, set up jointly by Delhi tourism and NDMC, D.C. (Handicrafts) & D.C. (handlooms), Ministry of Textiles, Govt. of India & Ministry of Tourism, Govt. of India. It aims at providing encouragement to the needy artists from all over the country in order to sustain and preserve the rich heritage of India.
While allowing free interaction between buyers and sellers, the organizers favour a check on prices to keep them moderate.
Different and appealing, DILLI HAAT is located in one of the most important commercial centers of South Delhi, opposite INA market. The 6 acres of land on which this sprawling complex is situated was salvaged as part of a reclamation project and transformed into a magnificent dream plaza. Extensive foundation work, small thatched roof cottages and kiosks with a village atmosphere have made the place into an attractive multiple center.
The word Haat refers to a weekly market in rural, semi-urban and sometimes even urban India.
DILLI HAAT is not just a market place; it has been visualized as a showpiece of traditional Indian culture- a forum where rural life and folk art are brought closer to an urban clientele.
It is here that the crafts persons find an opportunity to demonstrate their artistic skills to thousands of visitors everyday.
Since its inauguration in the month of March 1994, Dilli Haat has been home to nearly 50,000 handicraft and handloom artisans. The sales generated, so far, are estimated at Rupees three hundred crores.
The complex is not only artistic, but also recreational in nature where the entire family can have a good time.
It is a place where one can unwind in the evening and relish a wide variety of cuisine without paying the exhorbitant rates.
Besides an International Food Plaza there are 25 stalls dishing out sumptuous delicacies from different States and Union Territories; and Exhibition Hall; a Souvenir shop selling an assortment of small gift items; an open stage for cultural programmes and a playing area exclusively earmarked for children.
The architectural features of the complex have been especially designed in the traditional north Indian style, with brickwork jail (lattice) and stone roofs.
A hall in the complex specifically caters to exhibitions of the handlooms and handicrafts. A souvenir shop, also displays attractive ethnic products.
The small thatched roof cottages and kiosks, without any concrete structures provide a village atmosphere.
The shops are set up on platforms, which act as a link in the Bazar design. The courtyards between the shops are paved in stone and interspaced with grass to retain a visual softness.
The landscaping of the area incorporates colourful flowering shrubs and trees, thus the entire complex is in harmony with the environment
Swaminarayan Akshardham reflects the essence and magnitude of India's ancient architecture, traditions and timeless spirituality.
The main monument, depicting ancient Indian "vastu shastra" and architecture, is a marvel in pink sandstone and white marble that is 141 feet high, 316 feet wide and 370 feet long with 234 ornate pillars, over 20,000 sculptures and statues of deities, eleven 72-foot-high huge domes (mandapams) and decorative arches. And like a necklace, a double-storied parikrama of red sandstone encircles the monuments with over 155 small domes and 1,160 pillars. The whole monument rises on the shoulders of 148 huge elephants with 11-feet tall panchdhatu statue of Swaminarayan presiding over the structure.
The sprawling Swaminarayan Akshardham complex spread over 30 acres on the banks of the Yamuna near Noida Mor in East Delhi.
For visitors, entry to the complex is free. However, those who want to visit exhibition halls and theatres, Rs.125 is to be paid and for children and senior citizens the charges are Rs.75. "Over 6,000 visitors could easily witness the shows and enjoy boat-rides everyday, while over 25,000 people can visit the temple. We have deployed almost 140 guides who will facilitate visitors during their visit. It requires at least four hours to visit the entire complex thoroughly and see all the shows," said a temple management committee member, adding that the opening ceremony would be telecast live on Aastha channel. Elaborate security arrangements have also been made for the entire complex. Besides installing close circuit television cameras it has also deployed hundreds of its own security personnel.
Even as last-minute preparations are now on for the inauguration, curious visitors have started coming in for a look or for offering "puja" and "abhishek".
Pramukh Swami Maharaj, the 83-year-old spiritual leader of the Swaminarayan sect that has over 10 lakh followers across the globe, has closely monitored every detail of the complex. It took over 7,000 builders, masons and polishers to build the complex in record time. The place is built to withstand major quakes "and to last at least a thousand years".
The complex has two huge exhibition halls; one will take visitors on a visual journey through India's cultural heritage, while the other "will depict Indian moral values through a light-and-sound show". The complex also boasts of an Imax cinema, a canteen big enough to accommodate 5,000 people at one sitting, a research centre for "social harmony" and meditation gardens dotted with fountains and bronze sculptures.
Jama Masjid
This great mosque of Old Delhi is the largest in India, with a courtyard capable of holding 25,000 devotees. It was begun in 1644 and ended up being the final architectural extravagance of Shah Jahan, the Mughal emperor who built the Taj Mahal and the Red Fort.
The highly decorative mosque has three great gates, four towers and two 40 m-high minarets constructed of strips of red sandstone and
The highly decorative mosque has three great gates, four towers and two 40 m-high minarets constructed of strips of red sandstone and
white marble. Travellers can hire robes at the northern gate. This may be the only time you get to dress like a local without feeling like an outsider so make the most of it.
Dilli Haat
The craftsmen who are registered with D.C.Handicrafts are the ones who are eligible to find a place here. The 62 stalls selling handicrafts are allotted on a rotational basis to craftsmen who come from all corners of the vast & varied land of India at a payment of mere INR 100 per day for a maximum period of 15 Days. This ensures that visitors get to buy authentic wares at prices that have not been inflated by high maintenance costs.
You can also savour the inimitable flavors of the delightful local foods from the various regions of India be it the momos from Sikkim or theBamboos hot chicken from Nagaland, Kahwa & Kebabs from Jammu,Pooranpoli from Maharastra or the Gujrati Dhokla. As many as 25 food stalls offer you variety of foods served in an Eco friendly manner.
You can also savour the inimitable flavors of the delightful local foods from the various regions of India be it the momos from Sikkim or theBamboos hot chicken from Nagaland, Kahwa & Kebabs from Jammu,Pooranpoli from Maharastra or the Gujrati Dhokla. As many as 25 food stalls offer you variety of foods served in an Eco friendly manner.
This Food and Craft Bazar is a treasure house of Indian culture, handicrafts and ethnic cuisine, A unique bazaar, in the heart of the city, it displays the richness of Indian culture on a permanent basis.
Step inside the complex for an altogether delightful experience by either buying inimitable ethnic wares, savouring the delicacies of different states or by simply relaxing in the evening with the entire family.
DILLI HAAT transports you to the magical world of Indian art and heritage presented through a fascinating panorama of craft, cuisine and cultural activities.
An ambitious project, set up jointly by Delhi tourism and NDMC, D.C. (Handicrafts) & D.C. (handlooms), Ministry of Textiles, Govt. of India & Ministry of Tourism, Govt. of India. It aims at providing encouragement to the needy artists from all over the country in order to sustain and preserve the rich heritage of India.
While allowing free interaction between buyers and sellers, the organizers favour a check on prices to keep them moderate.
Different and appealing, DILLI HAAT is located in one of the most important commercial centers of South Delhi, opposite INA market. The 6 acres of land on which this sprawling complex is situated was salvaged as part of a reclamation project and transformed into a magnificent dream plaza. Extensive foundation work, small thatched roof cottages and kiosks with a village atmosphere have made the place into an attractive multiple center.
DILLI HAAT is not just a market place; it has been visualized as a showpiece of traditional Indian culture- a forum where rural life and folk art are brought closer to an urban clientele.
It is here that the crafts persons find an opportunity to demonstrate their artistic skills to thousands of visitors everyday.
Since its inauguration in the month of March 1994, Dilli Haat has been home to nearly 50,000 handicraft and handloom artisans. The sales generated, so far, are estimated at Rupees three hundred crores.
The complex is not only artistic, but also recreational in nature where the entire family can have a good time.
It is a place where one can unwind in the evening and relish a wide variety of cuisine without paying the exhorbitant rates.
Besides an International Food Plaza there are 25 stalls dishing out sumptuous delicacies from different States and Union Territories; and Exhibition Hall; a Souvenir shop selling an assortment of small gift items; an open stage for cultural programmes and a playing area exclusively earmarked for children.
Architecture
A hall in the complex specifically caters to exhibitions of the handlooms and handicrafts. A souvenir shop, also displays attractive ethnic products.
The small thatched roof cottages and kiosks, without any concrete structures provide a village atmosphere.
The shops are set up on platforms, which act as a link in the Bazar design. The courtyards between the shops are paved in stone and interspaced with grass to retain a visual softness.
The landscaping of the area incorporates colourful flowering shrubs and trees, thus the entire complex is in harmony with the environment
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