Swaminarayan Akshardham, Gandhinagar

Swaminarayan Akshardham in Gandhinagar honours Bhagwan Swaminarayan, the 18th-century saint who taught purity, compassion and service. Opened in 1992, the main temple is built of stone brought from Rajasthan, and no steel was used anywhere in it. Its walls are covered in carvings of deities, dancers and plant motifs drawn from Hindu scripture.

Around the shrine, exhibition halls use dioramas and audio-visual shows to tell the saint's life story. Devotees can take part in offerings at the Abhishek Mandapam, and the Nilkanth Vatika garden has a large bronze statue of Neelkanth Varni. After dark, the Sat-Chit-Anand water show combines fountains, lasers and narration. Entry for darshan is free; the complex is closed on Mondays and has a vegetarian restaurant.