First ever independent Hindu temple opens in Dubai: 16 deities with a message of ‘co-existence’
The 'worship village' in Jebel Ali now houses nine religious shrines, including seven churches, the Guru Nanak Darbar Sikh Gurudwara, and the new Hindu house of worship.
Ahead of the Dussehra festival, dignitaries from India and the United Arab Emirates officially opened the Hindu temple in Dubai in a grand ceremony on Tuesday. The temple will be made open to the public on Wednesday.
The foundation of the temple was laid in 2020, fulfilling the decade-long demand of Hindus in the region. Idols of 16 deities have been installed in the temple. It consists of ornate pillars, Hindu and Arabic geometric designs on the facade and bells on the ceiling. Shri Guru Granth Sahib has also been installed in the temple.
The ‘worship village’ in Jebel Ali now houses nine religious shrines, including seven churches, the Guru Nanak Darbar Sikh Gurudwara, and the new Hindu house of worship.
Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, inaugurated the temple by lighting a lantern in the temple’s multi-purpose hall on the ground floor.
“With the benevolence of the Rulers of the UAE and the gracious support of the Community Development Authority (CDA), we are holding the official inaugural ceremony of the Hindu Temple Dubai tomorrow evening,” Gulf News reported temple trustee Raju Shroff as saying on Monday.
The temple’s distinctive architecture is likely to attract tourists as well. It is built on an area of 80,000 square feet. It also boasts nine brass spires or kalashas on the outer domes, the upper prayer section is fitted with 105 brass bells, a skylight from which a large, pink lotus sculpture is suspended and a large prayer hall that can be booked for events.
The temple website encourages visitors to pre-book slots. Visitors and devotees can book half-an-hour slots after providing their name, mobile number, email ID and the number of visitors. A maximum of four visitors are allowed in a group. It is open to the public from 6 am to 8.30 pm and requires visitors to be modestly dressed.
