The Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) Akshardham temple, located 100 km south of New York in Robinson Township, New Jersey was inaugurated on October 8.
It’s the largest Hindu temple ever built abroad in the modern era, constructed over 12 years by 12,500 volunteers.
However, it has faced controversy due to a class-action lawsuit filed by six Dalit construction workers, alleging human trafficking, caste discrimination, exploitation, and labor law violations.
The lawsuit claimed that workers were reportedly recruited from India, brought under false pretenses, and subjected to harsh labor conditions.
BAPS leaders deny these allegations, with their legal representative emphasizing the compliance of R-1 visas for stone artisans and routine inspections on construction projects.
The New Jersey Akshardham sprawls over 183 acres, adhering to ancient Indian cultural designs, featuring a main shrine, sub-shrines, shikhars, and pyramidal structures.
It employed millions of cubic feet of stone from worldwide sources, assembled like a colossal puzzle. The temple houses the Brahma Kund, a stepwell with water from over 300 sources worldwide. It’s the third Akshardham established by BAPS, following the ones in Delhi and Gujarat.
