Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the first Hindu stone temple in Abu Dhabi, Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) Mandir today.
PM Modi, who is on a two-day visit to the country, thanked UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan for his support and for granting the land for the construction of the Hindu temple.
Modi said that the BAPS temple in Abu Dhabi was an example of the President’s affinity towards India and his vision for the UAE’s bright future. The 27-acre land for the temple was donated by the UAE government.
The BAPS Hindu Mandir is located in Abu Mureikhah, near Al Rahba off the Dubai-Abu Dhabi Sheikh Zayed Highway. The construction has been on since 2019.
“The construction of the BAPS temple would not have been possible without your support,” PM Modi said. Modi recalled his first meeting with the President where he just mentioned the land for the temple and how the President immediately responded. “Such trust and love itself represent the strength of our unique relationship,” Modi said.
The temple will be open for the general public on February 18.
No steel or concrete has been used in the construction of the temple. There are also seven pinnacles, symbolising the seven emirates of the UAE, in the BAPS Hindu Mandir. The temple premises also house a visitors’ centre, library, classroom, prayer room, community centre, amphitheater, playground, garden, books and gift shops as well as food court.
The BAPS Hindu Mandir will be the largest in all of the Gulf region. The UAE has three other Hindu temples in Dubai.
Modi arrived in Abu Dhabi on Monday and was received at the airport by President Sheikh Mohamed. The two leaders held wide-ranging talks soon after Prime Minister Modi arrived in the UAE.
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