Built with 6,000 tonne of pink sandstone from Rajasthan, without any use of steel, the Akshardham Temple stands proudly over a 23-acre area in Gandhinagar. It is one of the biggest temple complexes in the city that invites thousands of devotees every year. Set amid sprawling gardens, this intricately carved structure is about 108 ft high, and presents a grand sight. The temple contains a 7-ft-high, gold-leafed idol of Lord Swaminarayan, who is the presiding deity. The monument stands on seven sculpted pillars, 210 single-piece stone beams, window grills, M domes, eight ornate zarokhas etc. Apart from its marvellous architecture, another special feature of the temple is the awesome sound and light show here that takes visitors through the facets of Hinduism. The gardens of the temple are used as a popular picnic spot and devotees often take a scenic and serene respite there.

Akshardham was established on November 2, 1992, and is a perfect mix of modern and ancient values. It aims at spreading the philosophies and teachings of Bhagwan Swaminarayan and was set up by BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, the organisation that built the Akshardham temple in Delhi. It is said that it took about 13 years to build this temple.