Bridging cultures: How the new temple represents religious cooperation and tolerance.
The Festival of Harmony, lasting for 12 days, will be held to commemorate the opening of the temple.
Abu Dhabi, UAE:
On Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi officially opened the Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) temple, marking the first Hindu temple in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The ceremony will commence at 6 PM Indian Standard Time.
The famous stone temple can be found in Abu Mureikhah, near Al Rahba along the Dubai-Abu Dhabi Sheikh Zayed Highway.
Before the inauguration ceremony, we will explore five fascinating pieces of information about the BAPS Hindu Mandir.
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Historic turning point: The first temple for the largest religious minority in the Emirates.
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the President of UAE, generously provided the land for the temple’s creation. In 2015, he donated 13.5 acres of land for the establishment of the UAE’s inaugural temple. Four years later, in 2019, he further gifted an additional 13.5 acres of land.
The BAPS Hindu temple’s inauguration will be commemorated with a 12-day event called the ‘Festival of Harmony’. The festivities began on February 10 and will run until February 21, featuring various activities and gatherings for the community.
Construction of the BAPS Hindu Mandir commenced in December of the same year after its foundation was laid in April 2019.
According to reports, it is estimated that the construction of the temple will cost approximately 400 million United Arab Emirates dirhams.
