On 26 May 2000 at 8.00 am Swamishri departed from Vadodara by flight and arrived at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi at 9.15 am.
At 5.30 pm Swamishri visited the newly acquired site for Akshardham. The 30-acre site is on a prime location on the banks of the River Yamuna. Swamishri first viewed the site land from Nizamuddin Bridge which is on National Highway number 24 leading to Lucknow. Then Swamishri saw the site from a bank of mud on a rough road off Nizamuddin bridge that leads to the site.
As Swamishri entered the site at 6.15 pm. he turned arround but saw that Thakorji was not in his car. Swamishri then plucked a few roses from a bouquet that had been offered to Thakorji. When his car stopped by a few tents on the site, the door opened and the attendant sadhus came to help Swamishri out. But before stepping down Swamishri sanctified the land with a shower of petals. Swamishri was led to a tent where the residing sadhus and volunteers perform arti, thaal and discourses. Then he went to the edge of the land and saw the lower part of the remaining site area. Swamishri then travelled throughout the entire site in a car, showering holy petals with the murti of Lord Harikrishna Maharaj blessing the vast land.
On arriving back to the tent Swamishri said, "Since we have come here let us perform arti of the land." Swamishri performed arti of Lord Harikrishna Maharaj and during the last verse he turned slowly viewing the land as he performed its arti. Before prostrating to the Lord Swamishri told everyone, "Everday you offer 5 prostrations but today perform two more to the land." Swamishri too performed two extra prostrations. After the arti and ashtak, pendas were brought to be offered to the Lord. Swamishri told everyone to sing a thaal, "Maare gher aavjo ..."
Swamishri then enjoined everyone in chanting the Swaminarayan dhun and offered prayers while making the following wishes:
May Akshardham be completed quickly. And may its construction be done in the best, supreme way.
May we get the best engineers and the best people to work for this project. And through them may this campus become the best. May Akshardham become supreme.
Let us pray to Maharaj that may the plan and construction work be done in such a way that for thousands of years the complex will have no problems at all.
May there be no bureaucratic or social hindrances. May there be no problems from the river water and the work be accomplished supremely... and may the plans be sanctioned by the government authorities at the earliest.
Prayers to God that there be no financial restraints and may we get donors so that we do not have any problems during the construction. May the project be completed in a year or two.
Now let us remember Yogiji Maharaj. Because of Yogiji Maharaj's sankalp (wish) we got this land. We have got the best land; and on the banks of the River Yamuna - that too was also his wish, and fulfilled by the grace of God. Yogiji Maharaj must be happy for having acquired such a nice land. It was Yogiji Maharaj's wish that people from all over the world come here and benefit of this, have darshan and may God redeem them all.
May the exhibitions here be supreme and thousands of people see Maharaj's divine life.
May the devotees become physically and mentally happy. And may their life and times improve and become prosperous so that the work here be completed in the best way.
Through the grace and blessings of Yogiji Maharaj we have acquired this land. We made efforts but because of his grace, not 100% but 125%, we got this land. May his grace prevail till the work is completed and when thousands of people come for darshan. May the grace of Yogiji Maharaj, Shastriji Maharaj, Bhagatji Maharaj and infinite muktas forever remain here and no kind of hinderance comes on the way. May God make those who come here happier, grant them peace and redemption (kalyan).
Finally Swamishri gave prasad to all the sadhus and devotees. Swamishri stayed in New Delhi till 29 May 2000.