gajendra_pith_intro

The Gajendra Peeth, the lower pradakshina, is a unique, captivating feature of Swaminarayan Akshardham and is an inspiring revival of an ancient architectural tradition. Ancient architectural treatises like Mayamtam, Shilpa Ratnakar, Diparnav and others prescribe a gajsthar (plinth of elephants) for palaces and mandirs. This tradition is found in the ancient Kailas Mandir of Ellora, which is 1300 years old and in the Mahabalipuram Mandir that is 1400 years old. Prior to the 12th century, many mandirs followed this tradition by having a gajsthar. The large gajsthar of the Swaminarayan Akshardham marks a bold return of this tradition. 
Akshardham’s unique revival of this tradition comes with a new inspirational, artistic innovation. Instead of the sequential replication as seen in old mandirs, it portrays inspiring incidents related to elephants – such as how elephants and humans share close relationships, how elephants were blessed by the divine and stories from the Panchtantra. 
Below are some samples of these stories as carved in Swaminarayan Akshardham’s Gajendra Peeth.