Weeks after the Ram Mandir’s consecration in Ayodhya, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate another significant temple in Abu Dhabi on February 14.
The BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi is the first Hindu temple in UAE, situated in the capital’s Abu Mureikha area.
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The temple is expected to be one of the largest and most beautiful Hindu temples outside of India and the largest Hindu temple in West Asia.
ALL ABOUT THE TEMPLE
During PM Modi’s first visit to the UAE in 2015, the UAE decided to allot land for building a temple in Abu Dhabi. The PM’s visit was crucial diplomatically as he became the first Indian Prime Minister after Indira Gandhi to visit this strategic Gulf nation in 34 years.
In February 2018, the PM inaugurated the project for the temple and the construction began in December 2019. The temple is being constructed on over 5.4 hectares of land and constructed at a cost of Rs 700 crore.
The vast complex will include a large amphitheatre, a gallery, a library, a food court, a majlis and two community halls with space for 5,000 people. It will also have gardens and children’s play areas.
It will incorporate intricately designed pink sandstone and marble façade with seven spires that represent each of the Emirates of the country. The temple has been made of 40,000 cubic metres of marble, 1,80,000 cubic metres of sandstone and over 1.8 million bricks.
The highly anticipated opening of the region’s first traditional Hindu stone temple in Abu Dhabi is just 100 days away. The construction of the iconic BAPS Hindu Mandir in the UAE Capital, which began in December 2019, is nearing completion and is set for a grand opening on February 14, 2024.
Recently, Sadguru Pujya Ishwarcharan Swami, the global convener of BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, the organisation building the temple, performed a ceremony of showering flower petals over the spires.
The day marked a momentous occasion for the temple, serving as a symbol of worldwide unity, tranquillity, and inclusivity. Artisans, volunteers, devotees, and Ishwarcharan Swami all shared a profound sense of pride and joy as they witnessed the majestic and groundbreaking progress of Abu Dhabi’s inaugural temple.
“It looks incredible and magnificent from above,” Ishwarcharan Swami said after his aerial survey of the temple.
Brahmaviharidas Swami, who accompanied Ishwarcharan Swami, elaborated on the construction of the temple, which is made of pink sandstones and white marble on 27 acres of land in Abu Mureikha, off the Dubai-Abu Dhabi highway.
“The entire complex, parking, and the main pinnacle with smaller pinnacles, all look astonishing. The whole view is majestic,” Ishwarcharan Swami said.
Ishwarcharan Swami reviewed the ongoing work and toured the site while engaging with the artisans. He praised the selfless service and dedication of everyone involved in making this hand-carved temple a reality. “May the blessings of God and our gurus and all the enlightened spiritual masters be upon all the selfless volunteers, workers, and artisans. And also upon the UAE, its leadership, and its people. We are all delighted… truly delighted. May peace prevail here and everywhere.”
