I biked to a guided tour of the ginormous Hindu temple in Robbinsville, N.J.

You need lots superlatives when describing this Hindu temple, or Mandir, in Central Jersey. Largest outside India is one.

Here’s a surprise: the tallest, grandest structure — the Mahamandir, pictured above — isn’t where the religious services happen for the main Hindu god. That’s the much smaller, still elaborate Mandir.

I learned this while on a free architecture tour of the complex (Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays at 10 a.m., noon, 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.; there’s a special service in the Mandir at 11:15 a.m. too). UPDATE: Tours are now hourly.

I’ve been to BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir a few times, even before the pandemic, but the big ribbon-cutting was in October 2023. It’s still not quite finished, but wow.

Everything seems covered with carvings. You’ll see plenty of peacocks, head bowed, in stone; that’s because the peacock is a humble bird and the religion’s teachings include an admonition to be humble.

The dark marble comes from Turkey; the softer white marble from Bulgaria, Italy and Greece. A string of buildings clad in the dark stone lead to each side of the white Mahamandir. The guide says that above, it looks like a garland has been placed around the Mahamandir.

The stones came carved and numbered, so they just had to be put in place and turned to lock. Yes, the dome too.

Another of the amazing details: all of this was built by 12,500 volunteers who gave up vacation time, even jobs and businesses, to do seva (or sewa) — service to others. (OK, it might not be all that clean and neat.)

I loved the story of a local dentist who decided she wanted to learn to carve, and she taught herself. She did some of the repairs, because no matter how careful everyone is, something gets chipped or broken. (One is on the arch around the main statute in the Mahamandir — look at the third carving from the bottom left.)

You can’t take photos inside the Mahamandir, so my shots from the outside (including one from December) plus from a 2020 visit will have to do.

There’s a cafeteria in the temple complex, but my bike route takes you past Patel Brothers, one of the many large Indian supermarkets in the area, after the temple stop. Plenty of fresh samosas and more there.

I’ve started the ride from Van Nest Park in West Windsor (parking and bathrooms). It’s just over 20 miles. The Princeton Junction train station is just a mile up Cranbury Road. Or adjust to start from the library (not far from the train station) or West Windsor’s Community Park. Note that you need to be comfortable riding on roads with no shoulders. There is no way to avoid Windsor-Edinburg Road, for example, but using South Lane means less of it. Traffic’s not bad.

You can show up at the temple in (bike) shorts; I was loaned a sarong to cover up above the knee.

TIP: This is a popular place. When I went in late May 2024, there was talk of 40,000 or 60,000 visitors in one day on a weekend. (Free) reservations are now required on weekends and Hindu holidays. Go during the week if you can.

Do take the time to talk to at least one of the many volunteers. I met one who drives from Parsippany ( 1 1/2 hours each way if there’s no traffic) three times a week. She pointed out an amazing carving, all from one piece of marble, in the ceiling above us in the Mandir and explained what it represents.