Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to inaugurate the BAPS Hindu Temple in Abu Dhabi, the first Hindu stone temple in the UAE, on February 14, according to an official press release from BAPS Hindu Mandir. A visual of the temple’s interior was released on Monday.

Ahead of the grand opening of the temple, which is built on 27 acres of land in Abu Mureikhah district, the spiritual leader of BAPS Swami Mahant Swami Maharaj has arrived in the UAE.

The sprawling complex will include a large amphitheater, a gallery, a library, a food court, a council chamber and two community halls with a capacity of 5,000 people. It will also feature gardens and children’s play areas.

It will feature an elaborate exterior of pink sandstone and marble, as well as seven minarets representing each of the country’s emirates. The temple is built from 40,000 cubic meters of marble, 180,000 cubic meters of sandstone and more than 1.8 million bricks.

The design of the temple is inspired by Vedic architecture and sculptures. Many statues and carvings were made by Indian craftsmen and shipped to Abu Dhabi. The consecration ceremony of the temple is scheduled to be held on February 14, 2024, coinciding with the auspicious Basant Panchami.

All information about the BAPS organization

BAPS stands for Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS). The organization is named after Bhagwan Swaminarayan, a religious leader in the late 1700s.

According to the BAPS website, it is a socio-spiritual Hindu faith with roots in the Vedas, started by Bhagwan Swaminarayan (1781-1830) in the late 18th century and established by Shastriji Maharaj (1865-1951) in 1907.

BAPS claims to operate more than 3,850 centers and 1,100 temples worldwide. The group is also behind the Akshardham Temple in Robbinsville, New Jersey, the largest Hindu temple in the world outside of India.