‘UAE President wins the hearts of 1.4 billion Indians’: PM Modi after inauguration of temple

“I believe that in the days to come, a large number of believers will come here,” he said.

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday inaugurated the first Hindu stone temple in Abu Dhabi, calling it a symbol of humanity’s common heritage and thanked the UAE for writing a new golden chapter in human history.

Speaking at the inauguration of the temple built by Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS), the Prime Minister commended UAE President Sheikh Mohammad Zayed Al Nahyan for making Abu Dhabi’s grand expressed gratitude for the temple becoming a reality and said he had won the hearts not only of Indians living in the Gulf country but also of the 1.4 billion Indians.

Addressing a rally attended by UAE Minister for Tolerance Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan and spiritual leaders from different faiths, Prime Minister Modi said: “I hope that the BAPS temple will become a global A symbol of communal harmony and global solidarity.”

PM Modi said: “We don’t see hatred in diversity, we consider diversity to be our specialty! In this temple, we will see different faiths at every step.”

He said the UAE, hitherto known for its Burj Khalifa, Museum of the Future, Sheikh Zayed Mosque and other high-tech buildings, has now added another cultural chapter to its identity.

Prime Minister Modi said: “I believe that a large number of believers will come here in the future. This will also increase the number of people traveling to the UAE and enhance people-to-people ties between the two countries.”

Praising the UAE President for his contribution to the construction of this magnificent temple, he said: “If there is anyone who played the biggest and most important role in the construction of this magnificent temple, then it is my brother His Highness. Thank you Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed.” He said, “The UAE government is wholeheartedly committed to fulfilling the aspirations of tens of millions of Indians. The UAE government has not only won the hearts of Indians living in the UAE, but also of all 1.4 billion Indian heart.”

The Prime Minister also recalled the consecration ceremony of the new Rama temple in Ayodhya last month.

“The wave of happiness we received in Abu Dhabi today further enhances our immense happiness in Ayodhya. I was lucky enough to witness first the magnificent Shri Ram Temple in Ayodhya and then this one in Abu Dhabi A temple,” he said.

Prime Minister Modi said, “Just last month, the age-old dream of building a magnificent Ram temple in Ayodhya came true. Ram Lala is sitting in his Bhavan! The whole of India and every Indian is still immersed in In that feeling of love.”

The Prime Minister pointed out that this is the age of “Amrit Kal” not only for India but also for our faith and culture.

Earlier, PM Modi attended the ceremony of dedicating a temple to the people wearing a light pink silk dhoti and kurta paired with a sleeveless jacket and shawl.

Prime Minister Modi met people from different faiths who contributed to the construction of the first Hindu stone temple here.

The Prime Minister also offered water from the virtual Ganges and Yamuna rivers at the temple before inaugurating the temple, which is built on a 27-acre site at Abu Mreikhah, near Dubai-Abu Dhabi Than Al Rahba near Sheikh Zayed Highway, the cost is about 7 billion rupees.

He also carved “Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam” on the temple stone using hammer and chisel.

According to the temple authorities, this magnificent temple is built in the style of ancient architecture and creation mentioned in the Hindu scriptures Shilpa and Sthapathya Shastras, which describe the art of temple design and construction.

“The construction methods here are integrated with science and technology. More than 300 high-tech sensors have been installed on each floor of the temple to measure temperature, pressure and motion (seismic activity). These sensors will provide real-time data for research. If If any earthquake occurs in the area, the temple will detect it and we will be able to study it, BAPS head of international relations Swami Brahmaviharidas told Press Trust of India (PTI).

No metal was used in the construction of the temple, and fly ash was used to fill the foundations, replacing 55% of the cement in the concrete mix, reducing the temple’s carbon footprint.

Madhusudan Patel, the temple’s construction manager, told PTI: “We have used heat-resistant nanotiles and thick glass panels to blend the traditional beauty of the stone structure with modern functionality.

Considering the extreme temperatures in the UAE, the tiles will make walking comfortable for visitors even in hot weather. Non-ferrous metal materials are also used in temples. ” Abu Dhabi’s first Hindu temple features Nagara style architecture and is constructed from 1.8 million bricks, 700,000 man-hours and 180,000 cubic meters of sandstone sourced directly from Rajasthan, like the recently inaugurated Ayo Same as Tiyaram Temple.

According to temple volunteer Umesh Raja, 20,000 tons of sandstone fragments were carved in Rajasthan and then shipped to Abu Dhabi in 700 containers.

“Not just the stone, many of the workers who helped build the temple over five years belonged to Gujarat and Rajasthan. Even the marble quarried from Italy was first brought to India for carving and then brought back to the UAE for the interior decoration,” he said .

Construction work on the building has been underway since 2019. The land for the temple was donated by the UAE government. The UAE has three other Hindu temples in Dubai. The BAPS temple is spread over a vast area and constructed of stone and will be the largest temple in the Gulf.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)