Suddenly Swaminarayan called out to him and asked-“Why are you sitting so far away? Come forward. The dacoit went to a gathering, his face hidden by a shawl and sat down at the back behind everyone. If Swaminarayan’s prayer book was swathed in red instead of white as was the norm, if Swaminarayan called out to him, and if he would take out the garland from his own neck and put it on the dacoit’s neck, he will believe in Swaminarayan’s divinity. The dacoit was confused, and then said to himself that he needed proof that Swaminarayan was a divine being. The dacoit sneaked over to where the mare was, only to see Swaminarayan bathing her. The first night he peeked in and saw Swaminarayan sleeping. The dacoit went in the middle of the night to steal the mare. A very cruel dacoit who killed people and whose arrow, could serve as protection for anyone who he wanted to help, once heard that Swaminarayan owned a beautiful and powerful mare and decided to get it. When a tantrik tried to obstruct his teaching, Swaminarayan won him over. His miracles began at seven when he brought dead fish to life and talked convincingly against killing an innocent being. He weathered the vagaries of nature, and other hazards to emerge unscathed. He left home at 12 and was then known as Neelkanth, as he traveled all over the country to all the holy spots, mastering the Ashtang yoga as a teenager.
He was only seven and known then as Ghanshyam when he mastered all the Vedas. The first one depicts the life of Bhagwan Swaminarayan with scenes from his life and how his teachings and values can easily be applied to enhance our lives. There are three main exhibits in Akshardham.
There are people everywhere and yet serenity permeates the air. You face the camera with the temple rising majestically behind you, its pink and white structure kissed by sunshine.
The first steps take you to a special spot where you can have a picture taken for posterity. It is also an environmental treasure with over 900,000 trees and shrubs. You see the Bharat Upvan that combines nature, culture, beautiful gardens with bronze statues of the great role models of India, from outstanding children, to freedom fighters, great women, national heroes and great warriors. You enter the main area through Mayur Dwar or the Peacock Gate which has 869 sculpted peacocks, and as you walk in your eyes are dazzled by the beautiful gardens with flowers sprinkled in “rangoli” –form, across the emerald green grass. Most visitors enter through the back of the temple where the parking lot absorbs thousands of cars as numbers go up to 50,000 visitors and more over weekends. At any given time there are at least 2000 volunteers waiting in line to serve at Akshardham, but the backbone are the 650 volunteers that have been there from before. Wherever we went, we were warmly received by volunteers.
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