Dubai: In what comes as good news for the members of the Hindu community in Dubai, a new Hindu temple will open its doors to the devotees by Diwali next year.
According to reports, the foundation stone of the Hindu temple, being constructed adjacent to the Guru Nanak Singh Darbar in the Jebel Ali area, was laid in August last year.
The Community Development Authority in Dubai said the temple is an extension of the Sindhi Guru Darbar, which is one of the oldest Hindu temples in the country.
“This temple bears testimony to the open-mindedness of the leaders of the United Arab Emirates and Dubai,” Raju Shroff, one of the trustees of the temple, told Gulf News on Sunday, IANS reports.
He added the temple will “cater to religious beliefs of Hindu communities belonging to all parts of India”.
The temple will be home to 11 Hindu deities, as per a Khaleej Times report.
The actual structure, which includes two basements, a ground floor, and the first floor, will cover 25,000 sq ft. of land while the built-up area of the temple stands at a spacious 75,000 sq ft, according to a Gulf news report.
Besides this, a 4,000 square feet banquet hall has been built for a gathering of over 700 people. There is also a smaller 1,000 square ft. multi-purpose room for events which can be attended by at least 100 people.