A new place of worship, a notewor thy cultural and tourist attraction, the BAPS Swaminarayan Temple has recently been inaugurated in Abu Dhabi, becoming the city’s first Hindu temple. Open to the public since the first day of March, the temple was inaugurated by prime minister Narendra Modi himself on February 14.
The story of the temple began as early as 1997 when Pramukh Swami Maharaj, the then president of BAPS, had prayed in the desert area in Sharjah for peace and love among all countries and religions and freedom from enmity between the nations.
This was followed by the devotees seeking permission from the community and government leaders for land to build a temple. It was only in 2015 that land was allotted for the building of the said temple. “I am very thankful to the UAE government for their decision to allot land to build a mandir in Abu Dhabi. This is a great step,” commented prime minister Narendra Modi.
BAPS Abu Dhabi Hindu Mandir now stands in the Abu Mureikhah, Al-Rahba area in Abu Dhabi. Spread over 27 acres, the temple reportedly cost around ₹700 crores to be built, excluding the cost of the land it stands on.
The temple can hold 8,000 to 10,000 people and includes prayer halls, community centres, a children’s park, an amphitheatre, as well as a library.
No metal was used in the process and fly ash was used to fill the foundation, thus reducing the carbon footprint. Built using heat-resistant nano tiles and heavy glass panels, the temple sports both traditional aesthetic stone structures with modernday functionality.
Considering the extreme temperatures in UAE, the tiles will be comfortable for visitors to walk even in hot weather. Non-ferrous material has also been used in the temple.
Made in the Nagara style of temple architecture, 20,000 tonnes of sandstone pieces were reportedly carved in Rajasthan and then shipped to Abu Dhabi in 700 containers for construction.
The temple, which was envisioned as a symbol of community and collaboration, includes seven spires that represent the seven emirates.
The temple also has two streams of water, which represent the holy rivers Ganga and Yamuna. The temple features 402 pillars carved in white marble with carvings featuring flora and fauna — no two carvings represent the same thing. In these etchings, one can find stories from Indian scriptures and depictions of deities and spiritual gurus.
The temple has now managed to become a major tourist attraction, which includes both local and international visitors curious to learn more about Hinduism as a religion as well as Indian culture.
Attracting the most tourists from India; Abu Dhabi, which is known for its marvellous skyscrapers, is now also home to a symbol of diverse ancient traditions and spirituality.
— Shambhavi Ranjan
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