Tanzania’s President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete Visits Swaminarayan Akshardham, New Delhi, India

Tanzania’s President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, accompanied by First Lady Salma Kikwete and a 50-member Tanzanian delegation, visited Swaminarayan Akshardham in New Delhi to experience India’s ageless beauty, borderless culture and timeless values.

The delegation was traditionally welcomed on behalf of His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj. Senior sadhus welcomed President Kikwete with a garland of flowers, a chandlo and the tying of a sacred kalva. First Lady Salma Kikwete and the members of the Tanzanian delegation were also traditionally welcomed by trustees of Swaminarayan Akshardham and BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha.

After admiring the Mayur Dwar, the delegation proceeded to the Swaminarayan Akshardham Mandir, where they viewed its architecture and experienced the atmosphere of the sacred complex.

The delegation then visited the Gajendra Pithika, featuring 148 life-sized carved stone elephants conveying messages of social harmony, peace and spirituality.

President Jakaya Kikwete and First Lady Salma Kikwete offered prayers for world peace and harmony by performing abhishek, the ceremonial pouring of sanctified water from 151 holy rivers, lakes and ponds across India, on the sacred image of Neelkanth Varni.

The visitors also experienced the educational exhibitions at Akshardham. These included Neelkanth Darshan, a giant-screen film depicting Neelkanth Varni’s epic journey throughout India, and Sanskruti Darshan, a boat ride showcasing 10,000 years of India’s heritage and its contributions to humanity.

Sharing his experience of the visit, President Jakaya Kikwete expressed his admiration for the sacred complex and the work involved in creating it.

First Lady Salma Kikwete also expressed her appreciation for the warm reception and the opportunity to learn about Swaminarayan Akshardham. She praised the preservation of India’s history and culture and its importance as a heritage passed from one generation to the next.