Abu Dhabi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the BAPS Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi, the first traditional Hindu stone temple in the UAE, today (February 14). The inauguration of the iconic Mandir will be celebrated through the ‘Festival of Harmony’ – a series of uplifting programs and community events focused on strengthening faith, mobilising community service, and inspiring harmony among people of all generations and backgrounds, the Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) said in a press release.
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For decades, Hindus in the UAE have nurtured their faith through weekly satsang assemblies, gatherings dedicated to prayer, spiritual discourses, and community building. These assemblies, further strengthened by regular visits of spiritual leaders from India, provided a sense of belonging and shared purpose. It was within this fertile ground of devotion and community spirit that the dream of a mandir truly blossomed, the release said.
A defining moment arrived in February 2018, when Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, generously gifted a plot of land, demonstrating the UAE’s unwavering commitment to interfaith dialogue, the release said. This gesture, further strengthened by Modi’s launch of the project at the Dubai Opera that same month marked a historic chapter in interfaith relations, it added.
In December, Prime Minister Modi attended the COP28 Summit in Dubai, at the invitation of the President of UAE and Ruler of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Brahmaviharidas Swami, who has been overseeing the Mandir project under the guidance of Swami Maharaj, explained, “The BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi serves as a spiritual oasis for global harmony that celebrates the past and recalibrates the future."
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The UAE has at least 3.5 million Indians who are part of the Indian workforce in the Gulf. The temple’s facade features exquisite marble carvings set against a sandstone backdrop, crafted from more than 25,000 pieces of stone by skilled artisans from Rajasthan and Gujarat. A substantial number of pink sandstone were transported from northern Rajasthan to Abu Dhabi for the temple. According to the temple authorities, 40,000 cubic feet of marble have been used to build the interiors.
(With inputs from agency)
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