The largest hand-carved Hindu temple outside of India is set for its grand inauguration in New Jersey this month. After 12 years of meticulous planning and construction, the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) Akshardham temple in Robbinsville, New Jersey, is set to welcome visitors when it is officially inaugurated on Oct. 8. BAPS, a Hindu denomination within the Swaminarayan Sampradaya, was established in 1905 by Yagnapurushdas (Shastriji Maharaj). The community follows the conviction that Swaminarayan remains present on earth through a lineage of gurus, starting with Gunatitanand Swami. The BAPS community, which has already established 100 temples across the U.S., is set to mark 50 years of history in North America in 2024. The Akshardham complex houses a Maha Mandir, a traditional temple, a welcome center, a museum, and event spaces. The intricate design, crafted from white sandstone, limestone, marble and granite, were all meticulously carved by temple a...