So, as some of you may know, I live down in Australia but my family is originally from India. right now, I'm on a holiday in India but we've come to Delhi, as opposed to Kolkata where we usually go.

For a short history lesson, Delhi used to be the Capital of seven kingdoms back in the day when Emperors ruled. it's amazing seeing sculptures and temples and mosques from tens of thousands of years before the English had even discovered the slightest bit of Australia. 

Today, I went to a temple called Swaminarayan Akshardhan. WOW. That really is all I can say. it's made completely of white marble and seeing the filth and dirt covering the streets of Delhi and the heavy fog in the air, I never would have expected the structures to be as pristine and as beautiful as they were! 

The whole compound takes up around a massive 100 acres and in the centre is the enormous temple that rises up and towers over the other structures in the area. There are numerous gardens and ponds spread around the temple and there's also a small food court and souvenir shop for the foreigners ;)

The temple itself is the most majestic building I have ever seen...and probably ever will see! unless the Taj Mahal beats it. ahaha I'll be seeing that in a few days!

It was constructed over a period of 5 years, which seems really short when you see the scale of the place, by 11000 volunteers per day who were all disciples of the saint that decided to build the temple. Apparently it took all of 32 years beforehand to plan the building and intricate designs lining EVERY VISIBLE SURFACE! I'm not even kidding! the roofs, the walls, even the floors have designs and patterns printed all over them! 

I'm amazed that all these people over so many years could work and work to complete the temple without ever feeling the need to be paid. just the fact that they had been accepted to help build something as sacred as a temple was enough to fill their stomachs and give them motivation to continue with the exceptional work.

The floors are made of stone and have mosaic-like designs in some places and other designs such as flowers and animals pressed into them, which are made with different, vibrantly colored rocks and stones. It looks absolutely amazing in contrast to the marble structure that stands proudly on top.

The walls and roof of the temple were all carved from pieces of solid marble. Its most definitely a painstaking process; to carve gods and goddesses, flowers and animals, sacred symbols and even mantras from the Hindu holy book onto the walls. the intricacy and detail of each and every carving is impeccable. I still don't fully believe that it was completed in only 5 years. The temple is so huge and EVERYTHING is covered in these magnificent designs.

I don't have the words to properly describe he amazement I felt seeing the temple. All around the base, there are 48 (?) life-like elephants that line the walls. they depict stories and morals that the deciples follow and live by, giving the whole place a calming feel. There was one really cute story that caught my attention.

It went roughly like this:

There was once a rabbit who was food friends with an enormous elephant. One day, said rabbit wanted to invite his elephant friend to his house. When they got to the entrance, the rabbit realised that it would be impossible for the large elephant to fit through the rabbit's small door and he became sad at the fact that he was a much less significant being. Seeing his despair, the elephant assured the rabbit that he was no less important and that it was the want to show hospitality that showed his equal status. they later decides to eat together in a nearby park.

basically, the moral was 'it's the thought that counts'. this simple story was shown in two panels, the first showing the elephant trying to fit it's trunk into the rabbit's hole and the rabbit sadly watching and the second showing the rabbit sitting on the elephant's back, and eating together.

it's such a sweet story that was represented purely through the carvings. but what amazed me the most was the fact that each and every thing was carved with suuuper detail. the grapes that hung from vines on the walls looked good enough to eat...had they not been made out of marble. and with each peacock, I could differentiate every feather on it's tail! 

Sadly though, cameras, phones, and anything else were not allowed. like, seriously. they wouldn't let us take in a bag that had water in it incase we threw it on the temple and it damaged something...or something like that... they didn't really explain...it was just, "err shorry nat allaud"... :L there were police everywhere and we had to go through around 4 checkpoints to enter the actual place! it kinda killed the atmosphere at first... and then when we got inside, there was a school on an excursion there and their non-stop chatter kinda disturbed the serenity you'd usually find in a temple but nevertheless it really was an experience I'll never forget!

Next stop: Taj Mahal baby!