BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham in Robbinsville, New Jersey, celebrated the birth anniversary of Bhagwan Shri Ram and Bhagwan Shri Swaminarayan. Drawing thousands of devotees and visitors from across the region for the two-day event.
Prayers and cultural performances were part of the celebrations which unfolded in the majestic temple. The Gods Ram and Swaminarayan are believed to have appeared on Earth on the Hindu calendrical day of Chaitra Sud 9.The tradition was established in 1801 by Bhagwan Swaminarayan, and this year, Ram Navami fell on April 6, 2025.
On the first day of the celebrations, devotees gathered in the afternoon to participate in a special aarti ritual and worship.
In the evening, a special cultural performance led by youths included spiritual discourses, musical performances, and devotional dances and vignettes, all highlighting the teachings and life of Bhagwan Shri Ram and Bhagwan Shri Swaminarayan. During the assembly, a grand procession marched through the audience carrying images Ram and Swaminarayan.
Among the many special guests were New Jersey State Senator Michael L. Testa Jr., and the Consul General of India in New York, Binaya Srikanta Pradhan. “What a magnificent event! I will come back again, and again, and again,” Senator Testa is quoted saying in the press release from BAPS.
The second day of the celebrations at Akshardham included an abhishek ritual (pouring water over the sacred image of God) and hourly aarti rituals throughout the day in the massive Nilkanth Plaza, outdoors. Devotees gathered in front of the 49-foot tall image of Bhagwan Shri Swaminarayan’s teenage form, Shri Nilkanth Varni. At the evening assembly Swamis delivered spiritual discourses on the significance of these divine birthdays, urging everyone to embrace the teachings of righteousness, compassion, and devotion in their everyday lives. The festivities concluded with a special ceremony at 10:10 pm – the birth time of Bhagwan Shri Swaminarayan.
It was a community celebration where families, children, and individuals from all walks of life participated in the celebrations, as did various Hindu organizations, such as Sidhi Vinayak Temple in Lawrenceville, New Jersey, Om Sri Sai Balaji Temple in Monroe, New Jersey, and Chinmay Mission Vrindavan in Cranbury, New Jersey.
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