Akshardham Temple, Delhi

The Swaminarayan Akshardham complex was inaugurated in November 2005 by the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, a Hindu denomination founded in 1907. The 100-acre site on the eastern bank of the Yamuna holds what Guinness World Records lists as the largest comprehensive Hindu temple in the world — a 43-metre-tall, 109-metre-long pink Bharatpur sandstone structure carved with 234 ornamental pillars, 9 intricate domes, and 20,000 sculpted figures of deities, saints, sages, and mortals. No cement or steel was used in the central temple structure — it is built entirely of carved stone in the medieval Hindu temple-construction tradition, employing 11,000 craftsmen over five years. The complex also includes the Sahaj Anand Water Show (a 24-minute multimedia evening performance), a boat ride through 10,000 years of Indian history, an exhibition on the life of Bhagwan Swaminarayan, an IMAX-style hall showing 'Mystic India', and the Yagnapurush Kund — the world's largest stepwell. Visitors of all faiths welcome. Strict security: phones, cameras, and bags must be checked at the entrance — there is no photography permitted inside. Allow at least four hours. Closed Mondays.