Marking a significant milestone for the Indian community in the Middle East, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated Abu Dhabi’s first Hindu temple, which is also the largest in the region.
Spread over 27 acres and built at a cost of over ₹ 700 crore, the BAPS Hindu temple is also seen as a sign of the deepening relationship between India and the United Arab Emirates.
PM Modi – who is in the UAE on a two-day visit and will leave for Qatar later on Wednesday – had praised UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan during an address at a mega diaspora event on Tuesday and said that the then crown prince had agreed to donate land for the temple during the leaders’ meeting in 2015.
“I consider the construction of BAPS temple here as a reflection of your love for India and your vision for the bright future of UAE. This would not have been possible without your support. During our first meeting, I had made a simple request for you to look into it and you took a prompt decision, telling me ‘put your finger on any piece of land, you will get it’,” the PM had said.
Mr Al Nahyan donated 13.5 acres of land for the construction of the temple in 2015 and PM Modi had laid the foundation three years later. Construction began in 2019 after an additional 13.5 acres of land was donated earlier that year.
Built by the Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS), the temple is located in Abu Mreikhah, near Al Rahba. The consecration ceremony of the idols began at the temple on Wednesday morning.
Temple authorities said seven shikhars (spires) have been built at the temple representing the seven emirates that form the UAE.
“The seven spires have idols of deities, including Lord Ram, Lord Shiv, Lord Jagannath, Lord Krishna, Lord Swaminarayan (considered a reincarnation of Lord Krishna), Tirupati Balaji and Lord Ayappa. The seven shikhars represent the seven emirates of UAE,” Swami Brahmaviharidas, head of international relations for BAPS, told PTI.
“The seven spires also pay homage to seven important deities, underscoring the interconnectedness of cultures and religions. Normally, our temples are either one spire, three, or five but the seven spires express our gratitude to the unity of the seven emirates. But at the same time, the seven spires enshrine seven important deities… The spirals aim to promote unity and harmony in the multicultural landscape,” he said.
PM Modi’s visit to the UAE is his seventh since 2015 and his third in eight months. Addressing the World Government Summit in Dubai earlier on Wednesday, the Prime Minister said Dubai is becoming the epicentre of the global economy and praised UAE President Al Nahyan, describing him as “a leader with vision and resolve”.
After the inauguration, PM Modi will leave for Doha and hold a bilateral meeting with the Qatari leadership. PM Modi’s visit to the country comes on the heels of Qatar releasing eight navy veterans from prison, which was seen as a huge diplomatic victory for India.
