The BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham temple in Robbinsville, New Jersey, stands a symbol of faith, craftsmanship and cultural pride. But a recent report by The Guardian tells a very different story, one that shifts the focus from the temple’s beauty to the lives of the workers who helped construct it.
A silent illness behind the stonework
According to The Guardian report, several workers who were involved in the construction during 2015 and 2023 developed silicosis, an incurable lung disease caused by inhaling fine silica dust during stone carving. The report claimed that at least two labourers are learnt to have died because of the illness.
For many, the disease has meant years of suffering. One worker told The Guardian, “A person would prefer committing suicide rather than dying from silicosis because it’s such a painful death.”
The report also said that the other workers were diagnosed with respiratory conditions like chronic bronchitis and tuberculosis.
Workers spent their lives far from home
Beyond illness, workers described the long periods of isolation and separation from their families. Many have travelled from Rajasthan to the project.
One worker told the news outlet, “I saw my kids growing on the phone.” The report also mentioned that some workers also alleged extremely long working hours, restrictions on movement, low wages and limited contact with their families. These experiences, they said, left a deep emotional and financial impact on them.
The report also highlighted allegations of visa fraud that took place during the construction period. Some workers claimed that they had been brought to the US on R-1 religious worker visas, even though the work they did involved intensive stone carving and construction.
What does the temple have to say about it?
The organisation behind the temple, BAPS has denied the allegations. In a response quoted by The Guardian, it said, “The allegations in the civil lawsuit are wrong.”
The group has stated that those involved were volunteers engaged in seva, or selfless service, and that facilities such as housing, food, and medical care were provided.
The Robbinsville Akshardham is part of a global network of temples constructed by BPAS and is considered of the most ambitious religious construction projects outside India.
Opened in 2023, it is described as the largest modern Hindu temple outside India, attracting visitors from across the world.
According to the temple’s official website, the complex reflects traditional Hindu architecture, cultural heritage and spirituality with thousands of intricately carved stone elements coming together across a huge campus.