PM Modi inaugurates Abu Dhabi’s first Hindu temple, erected by BAPS
PM Modi congratulated UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed for "realising the dreams of crores of Indians."
On Wednesday (February 14), Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the first Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi, UAE. The BAPS Hindu temple, which spans 27 acres and cost more than Rs 700 crore to build, is also viewed as a symbol of India’s increasing connection with the UAE. The temple was erected by the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha, often known as the BAPS organisation.
PM Modi, accompanied by priests, visited the shrine and offered prayers. Speaking after inaugurating the temple, PM Modi stated, “A golden chapter in human history has been written in UAE today. A grand and holy temple has been inaugurated in Abu Dhabi today. Years of hard work have gone into this temple and a long-cherished dream has come true. Bhagwan Swaminarayan’s blessings are also with this temple”.
PM Modi also congratulated UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed for “realising the dreams of crores of Indians.”
“If there is anyone who has the biggest and the most significant role in making this grand temple a reality, then it is none other than my brother His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed,” PM Modi remarked. “The Government of UAE has not only won the hearts of Indians living in UAE, but also of all 140 crore Indians,” he went on to say.
The Prime Minister stated that every moment of his life and every molecule in his body is committed to Ma Bharti, adding, “The joy we had in Ayodhya has been multiplied in Abu Dhabi today. It is a privilege for me to attend the consecration of the temple in Ayodhya last month and this temple in Abu Dhabi today.”
The UAE government provided the site for the temple at Abu Mureikhah, near Al Rahba on the Sheikh Zayed Highway between Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
The temple features ancient civilizations like the Maya, Aztec, Egyptian and more
The temple has stories from ancient civilizations like as the Maya, Aztec, Egyptian, Arabic, European, Chinese, and African, all of which have been preserved in stone. The framework also contains tales about the ‘Ramayan’. The temple complex also includes a 3,000-capacity prayer hall, a community centre, an exhibition hall, a library, and a children’s park.
The temple is built in the traditional Nagar style and measures 108 feet tall, with seven shikhars (spires), one for each of the UAE’s seven emirates.
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