The land for the temple was donated by the UAE government.
Abu Dhabi:
The UAE’s first Hindu stone temple was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 14 and opened to the public on Friday. The temple was built by Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) on 27 acres of land in Abu Mureikhah, near Al Rahba near the Dubai-Abu Dhabi Sheikh Zayed Highway, at a cost of approximately Rs 700 crore.
The land for the temple was donated by the UAE government.
On February 14, Prime Minister Modi held a grand inauguration ceremony for this architectural marvel, attended by nearly 5,000 people. Overseas believers are allowed to visit from February 15 to 29.
“The wait is over! #AbuDhabiMandir is now open to all visitors and devotees,” BAPS Hindu Mandir (@AbuDhabiMandir) posted on the place.
It also mentioned that the temple is open from 9 am to 8 pm, except Mondays, when it is closed to tourists.
The temple website (https://www.mandir.ae/) provides detailed guidelines for visitors, including what types of clothing are preferred, what types are prohibited, photo rules, etc.
Temple authorities said these guidelines must be followed “to maintain a peaceful atmosphere and ensure orderly management of our premises”.
The temple is constructed of sandstone and marble in the Nagara architectural style, in keeping with the ancient architectural and creative styles mentioned in the Shilpa and Sthapatya Shastras (Hindu scriptures that describe the science of temple design and construction).
There are at least 3.5 million Indians in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) who form part of the Indian workforce in the Gulf.
The BAPS Hindu Temple in Abu Dhabi is the largest Hindu temple in the Gulf. The UAE has three other Hindu temples in Dubai.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
