Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, February 14, inaugurated the first Hindu stone temple in Abu Dhabi. He performed Aarti and offered prayers at the temple built by BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha on a 27-acre site in Abu Mureikhah, near Al Rahba off the Dubai-Abu Dhabi Sheikh Zayed Highway.
The work for the structure has been going on since 2019. The land for the temple was donated by the UAE government.
An architectural marvel made with contributions from different parts of India — holy water from Ganga and Yamuna, pink sandstone from Rajasthan, furniture made of wooden trunks that were used to transport stones.
#WATCH | UAE | Consecration ceremony of BAPS Hindu Mandir, Abu Dhabi being done ahead of its inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, later today.(Video: BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha) pic.twitter.com/qHYUc8ZNhF
— ANI (@ANI) February 14, 2024
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.
Vishal Brahmabhatt, who supervises procurement and logistics at the site, told PTI that more than two lakh cubic feet of "sacred" stone has been transported in more than 700 containers for the temple’s construction.
The temple complex is bordered by buildings that house prayer halls, a community centre to host cultural events, a library, a children’s park and an amphitheatre through which a stream cuts across.
The UAE has three other Hindu temples that are located in Dubai. The BAPS temple, spread over a large area with stone architecture, will be the largest of all in the Gulf region.
With inputs from PTI
First Published: Feb 14, 2024 10:57 AM IST
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