Guru Nanak Darbar, the only Gurdwara in the entire Gulf region

New Delhi: Sikhism in the United Arab Emirates has a following of over 50,000; the majority of Sikhs in the UAE are found in Dubai and are expatriates hailing from Punjab, India. There are smaller numbers of Pakistani Sikhs also.Dubai's Guru Nanak Darbar gurdwara is a heady mix of spirituality, tradition, modernity, opulence and the determination of one man.At one time, the very thought of building a Gurudwara in the heart of an Islamic state was considered nothing short of an Arabian mirage. Today, once-the-unimaginable has happened, Guru Nanak Darbar is fast rising from the sands of Dubai, making it the first 'official' Sikh temple in the whole of Gulf.Brainchild of NRI businessman, Rs. 100-crore place of worship has 24-carat gold canopies, Italian marble Ornate 24-carat gold canopies for the Guru Granth Sahib, Italian marble on the walls and floor, stunning chandeliers and a five-star kitchen.On entering the building, one is in awe of its sheer grandeur and the attention to detail. A sense of calm descends as the strains of "Tu prabh daata", a popular 'kirtan' fill the air.Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai, who donated a piece of land in the Jebel Ali area for the gurdwara about 7 years ago, wanted it to be iconic. The opulent building is worth every bit of the 65 million dirhams (about Rs. 100 crore) spent on it a large part of it contributed by NRI businessman Surender Singh Kandhari himself.The idea of the building was born 12 years ago with the growing need of a proper place of worship for the Sikhs, who shared space in the cramped temple premises in Bur Dubai district.The permission came through 7 years ago when the ruler of Dubai gave 25,400 sq ft of land to build the gurdwara.On the grand opening of the gurdwara on January 17, Kandhari compared Sheikh Mohammed, also the vice-president of the UAE, to Muslim saint Hazrat Mian Mir, who had laid the foundation stone of Amritsar's Golden Temple, the holiest shrine for Sikhs.The state-of-the-art kitchen, which offers food for devotees throughout the day, is worth a peek. It is complete with a dough-kneader, a chappati-maker and large dishwashers. And along with the rest of the building, the kitchen, too, is spotless.Apart from a large carpeted prayer hall, there are three smaller rooms for private functions, a meditation room, a library and the spacious 'langar' or common kitchen hall.The main prayer hall has a 7.2 metre high ceiling and 18-metre diameter dome roof. The function hall can accommodate up to 900 people. There is parking space in the basement too.Guru Nanak Darbar is modelled on the Golden Temple and the gurdwara in Southall, London.To develop religious values among the next generation of NRIs, special three-hour sessions are held for children on Saturdays at the gurdwara, where they are taught Punjabi, 'kirtan' and how to behave in places of worship.Having grown up in Andhra Pradesh and studied in Chennai's Loyola College, Kandhari admitted that he learned about his language and religion when he came to Dubai in 1976. Thus, he understands the need for children to know about their culture in a foreign land.