US Vice President JD Vance, Wife Usha Visit Akshardham Temple In Delhi: 'Our Kids Loved It'
US Vice President J D Vance visited the sprawling Swaminarayan Akshardham Temple in Delhi with his Indian-origin wife Usha and three children on Monday for a four-day visit to India. They are also scheduled to travel to Jaipur and Agra.
Vance's children, identified as Ewan, Vivek, and Mirabel, were dressed in Indian attire. "Thank you all so much for your hospitality and kindness in welcoming me and my family to this beautiful place. It is a great credit to India that you built a beautiful temple with precision and care. Our kids, in particular, loved it. God bless," the vice president stated in the temple guest book, as per news agency PTI.
A priest stated that after the darshan, the family posed for camera crews outside the temple, and later, they were also gifted with a model of the temple.
"They were given a traditional welcome after which they had 'darshan'. A carved wooden elephant, a model of the Delhi Akshardham Temple, and children's books were gifted to the family," a priest at the temple said.
Vice President J D Vance Attracted By Intricately Sculpted Gajendra Peeth
Temple volunteer Meera Sondagar said the vice president was highly attracted by the intricately sculpted Gajendra Peeth, a plinth decorated with carvings of elephants that symbolise wisdom and strength. "He was shown the entire Akshardham complex and was deeply moved by the experience. He said he felt a sense of peace here," she said.
The temple authority put a post on X about their visit, highlighting their experience of the visit and appreciation messages of harmony.
"The US Vice President JD Vance, Second Lady Usha Vance, and their children visited Swaminarayan Akshardham in Delhi, their first stop in India, experiencing its majestic art, architecture, and timeless values of faith, family, and harmony. The Vance family explored the mandir's majestic art and architecture, experiencing India's heritage and cultural depth, and they appreciated the messages of harmony, family values, and timeless wisdom embodied in the Akshardham campus," it added.
According to the BAPS Swaminarayan organisation's website, this temple was opened to the public in 2005. The temple dedicated to Bhagwan Swaminarayan is a major attraction for visitors to Delhi. Swaminarayan, regarded as an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, founded the Swaminarayan tradition and revitalised Hindu values in 18th-century India. He promoted a spiritually disciplined lifestyle and a specific moral code.
Meanwhile, the former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his wife Akshata Murty also visited the temple last year.
The Vance family received a warm welcome upon arriving in Delhi earlier today, with Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw greeting them at the airport. Later this evening, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to host a private dinner for the Vance family following their bilateral discussions.
This marks Vance's first official trip to India, coming shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump introduced, and later paused, a broad tariff policy affecting around 60 countries, including India. Both nations are now working toward a bilateral trade agreement aimed at easing tariffs and expanding market access.
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