BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Temple, Silvassa

This temple to Bhagwan Swaminarayan sits on the bank of the Daman Ganga River and is modelled on the Swaminarayan Akshardham in Gandhinagar, making it an important shrine for the Gujarati community. Its central mandir is cut from light pink marble and stands without any cement or structural steel. Idols of Hindu deities occupy the sanctum, and the domes hold large carved flowers whose petals hang down like chandeliers. Green lawns surround the complex.

Yogiji Maharaj, the fourth successor of Swaminarayan, inspired its creation. The temple trust runs mobile medical units for remote villages, gives out free Ayurvedic medicine, holds yoga and health education classes, and supports free schools and scholarships for students in need.