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Tulsi Gabbard "in awe" of BAPS Akshardham temple in New Jersey
The Hindu American was invited to address over 1,000 devotees at the BAPS Swaminarayan temple in Robbinsville.
Tulsi Gabbard. / X
Tulsi Gabbard, the first Hindu elected to the US Congress and the incoming Director of National Intelligence, addressed over 1,000 devotees at the BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham in Robbinsville, New Jersey.
“I’m grateful to be here with all of you, and my heart is warmed by this incredible welcome and celebration,” she said on Dec.15.
During her address at the cultural program, Gabbard expressed awe at the intricate details and the spiritual significance of the temple. “To be able to hear about the many thousands of hands and hearts that went into building this iconic temple, and to walk through and see the meaning behind every single one of those sculptures—both the magnificent and the small etchings of some of the most famous stories about Krishna and Arjuna from the Bhagavad Gita—was truly inspiring,” she said.
We were honored to welcome @TulsiGabbard to BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham. As the first Hindu elected to Congress and the current Director of National Intelligence Designate, we appreciated hearing how our shared cultural and spiritual heritage shaped her life of public service.… pic.twitter.com/aiXP1EL6Qp
— BAPS Public Affairs (@BAPS_PubAffairs) December 16, 2024
Gabbard’s visit to the iconic temple marked a momentous occasion for the Hindu-American community. In a post on social media platform X, the BAPS organization expressed its appreciation for Gabbard’s acknowledgment of shared cultural and spiritual values. “As the first Hindu elected to Congress and the current Director of National Intelligence Designate, we appreciated hearing how our shared cultural and spiritual heritage shaped her life of public service,” BAPS stated.
The organization also highlighted the importance of Gabbard’s visit, calling it a tribute to the thousands of volunteers who made the Akshardham temple a reality.
Representatives from dozens of Hindu temples and organizations in the Northeast, including Suhag Shukla of the Hindu American Foundation, attended the event and met with Gabbard, underscoring the unity within the Hindu-American community.
#Breaking | @ODNIgov appointee @TulsiGabbard addressing over 1000 people at @BAPS temple in Robbinsville, NJ.
— Hindu American Foundation (@HinduAmerican) December 16, 2024
Dozens of Noetheast Hindu temples and organizations including @SuhagAShukla of HAF met with Tulsi during the event. pic.twitter.com/XsbBNbLZlK
In her address, Gabbard also reflected on her spiritual journey and its influence on her public service career.
Born in American Samoa and raised in Hawaii, Gabbard is often mistaken for being of Indian descent due to her Hindu faith and name. However, her connection to Hinduism stems from her mother, Carol Porter Gabbard, who converted to the Gaudiya Vaishnav tradition in the 1970s and instilled its values in her children.
As a lieutenant colonel in the Army Reserve with combat experience in Iraq, Gabbard is known for challenging traditional foreign policy views. Her historic oath on the Bhagavad Gita during her time in Congress symbolized her deep spiritual convictions. Her upcoming role as Director of National Intelligence under President-elect Donald Trump further cements her position as a trailblazer in American public life.
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