Visiting the Largest Hindu Temple in North America || BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir || Robbinsville, NJ

Located off of Rt 133 in Robbinsville, New Jersey, you will find the largest BAPS temple in North America (and second largest in the world!). This Hindu temple (mandir) cost $96 million to construct and is still a work in progress. BAPS stands for Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha, which is a Hindu denomination that follows the teachings of Bhagwan Swarminarayan. The main temple and visitor area is complete, but work on other parts of the complex are still being constructed as of April 2024.

Early morning views of BAPS Mandir in Robbinsville, New Jersey. 

We visited early on a Sunday morning and did not have any problems with parking or crowds. However, we stopped by on a Saturday afternoon and it was so busy that we couldn’t even find a parking spot! Starting on May 4th, 2024, visitors will need to pre-register for admission (free). I would definitely recommend going for an early arrival time to avoid the crowds!

A statue of the yogi Nilkanth stands at 49-feet tall in the front plaza. The mandir can be seen in the distance. 

Upon entrance, visitors will first reach the Nilkanth Plaza, which is named after Nilkanth Varni who was the teenage form of the Swarminarayan. Out front, there is a large gold statue of Nilkanth in a yoga pose, and the 49-foot statue represents the yogi’s 49 years on Earth. Looking behind the statue, you are able to see the Akshardham mandir, the main temple in this complex. There is also a large pond and many benches to sit on in this area. The stonework and carvings on the outside of the complex are incredible, and there is much more to see inside the campus.  

The mandir is made of hand-carved Italian Carrara marble.  

Signs point you to the welcome center, where there are maps and guides, as well as a theater showing a short video on the history of the temple. Walking outside, you are greeted by beautiful architecture. There is a small mandir across from the visitor center. Along the perimeter of the complex are beautifully carved arches, seen in the pictures below, that look like they belong somewhere much more exciting than central New Jersey. Two large ponds on either side of the main pathway lead up to the main mandir and were under construction when we were there. Four statues representing the four Vedas are found in these two water features. There was also a smaller water feature with koi fish fountains closer to the welcome center.

Beautiful pink sandstone arches boarder the plaza.

The main mandir itself can be seen from all angles of the complex. It is made out of limestone, Indian pink stone, and Italian Carrara marble. The stones were carved in India and shipped to Robbinsville for construction. Along the perimeter of the mandir, there are quotes from Hindu leaders as well as other famous philosophers and thinkers like Albert Einstein and Martin Luther King, Jr. The mandir has a traditional elliptical dome as well as a 13-tired structure with gold-plated details.

Inscriptions from famous thinkers are found around the base of the mandir.

We did not go into either mandir, but they were open to the public. In both of these spaces, no pictures are allowed and a specific dress code is required. You will take your shoes off and store them in the shoe room. You will also be given a scarf or sarong to borrow if you have exposed shoulders or knees.

More views of the mandir.

On the way out, there is a vegetarian cafe. It was not open while we were there, so we did not have the chance to try any of the food. BAPS is open six days a week (closed Tuesdays).

Views of the entrance and exit of the BAPS Mandir in Robbinsville, NJ