[sumit patni]

Akshardham Garbhagruha - Delhi

The temple complex houses the Garbhagruha, which is the inner sanctum of the temple and is considered the most sacred part of the temple. The Garbhagruha is beautifully designed and houses the main idol of Lord Swaminarayan, surrounded by smaller idols of other Hindu gods and goddesses. The walls of the Garbhagruha are adorned with intricate carvings, sculptures, and paintings that depict scenes from Hindu mythology and the life of Lord Swaminarayan.

[Ar.satish lohar]

The implied space or the void lends itself to very powerful mythical and mystical connotations. Representing the ‘great unknown’, the outer reaches of space, or even the number ‘0’, Indian architecture uses voids very skillfully to depict sacred space. The void can be seen in the innermost reaches of the temple – the garbha griha – to represent human ‘inner space’ or the antaraatman.