Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to inaugurate the Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) Mandir in Abu Dhabi, which is the first Hindu temple in the Gulf nation, on Wednesday.
The inauguration of the temple marks a significant moment for the Hindu community in the Gulf nation and also for the India-UAE bilateral ties.
Here is all you need to know about the BAPS Temple to be inaugurated in Abu Dhabi:
1. The BAPS temple is located in the Abu Mureikhah district, near the Abu Dhabi-Dubai highway, and is spread across 27 acres.
2. The construction of the structure has been going on since 2019. In 2015, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan donated 13.5 acres of land for the construction of the temple. Later, the UAE government further allocated another 13.5 acres of land for the temple in 2019.
3. The BAPS temple is built in the traditional Nagar style and has seven shikhars. The temple’s front panel depicts universal values, stories of harmony from different cultures, Hindu spiritual leaders and avatars. There are also seven pinnacles, symbolising the seven emirates of the UAE, in the BAPS Hindu Mandir.
4. Though the temple will be inaugurated by PM Modi on Wednesday, it will be open to the public from March 1.
5. The BAPS temple, spread over a large area with stone architecture, will be the largest of all in the Gulf region. The UAE has three other Hindu temples that are located in Dubai.
6. The stone temple has been constructed without the use of steel or concrete. The temple premises host a visitors’ centre, library, classroom, prayer room, community centre, amphitheatre, playground, garden, books and food court.
7. The BAPS temple will be an enduring tribute to the values of harmony, peace and tolerance, which both India and the UAE share, PM Modi has said.