A First for Abu Dhabi! BAPS Mandir Inaugurated by PM Modi in UAE, Prayers Offered

PM Modi: The expansive Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi was constructed by the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha, or BAPS society, and was dedicated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday. Alongside priests, PM Modi also said prayers at the temple.

Temple Dedication and PM Modi's Inaugural Speech

On Wednesday, the temple's dedication was finished in advance of PM Modi's inaugural speech. This will be the first Hindu stone temple in Abu Dhabi, constructed on 27 acres of land, with a distinctive blend of UAE identity and Indian culture.

The main event of his short two-day stay in the Gulf state is the opening of the BAPS Mandir, the second largest Hindu temple in the United Arab Emirates. HH Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, the UAE's Minister of Tolerance, officially opened Dubai's Temple in October 2022.

PM Modi's Leadership in the Dedication Ceremony

Additionally, Prime Minister Modi will preside over the temple's dedication ceremony, which takes place before it opens to the public on March 1. The temple is situated on a 27-acre tract of land in Abu Mureikhah, close to Al Rahba, off the Dubai-Abu Dhabi Sheikh Zayed Highway, which was donated by the UAE government. In 2019, a stone-laying ceremony was held.

Facilities within the Expansive Building

The expansive building houses a children's park, a community centre, an exhibition hall, a library and a prayer hall that can accommodate 3,000 people. Made from more than 25,000 pieces of stone, the temple's exterior is adorned with exquisite marble carvings created by talented artisans from Rajasthan and Gujarat against a backdrop of pink sandstone. They shipped the pink sandstone from Rajasthan.

Architectural Style and Height

The temple is built in the classic Nagar architectural style. At 108 feet high, it is topped with seven shikhars, or spires, each of which symbolises one of the United Arab Emirates' seven emirates. The Ganga and Yamuna rivers' features and finely sculpted ghats encircle the BAPS Mandir. The "Dome of Harmony" and the "Dome of Peace" are the two primary domes of the temple. Eight idols, representing the eight pillars of Sanatana Dharma, mark the entry to the shrine.

Depiction of Historical Civilizations

Stories from several historical civilizations, including the Maya, Aztec, Egyptian, Arabic, European, Chinese, and African ones, are also depicted in the temple area. On the structure are also stories about the 'Ramayan'. Seven shrines, each honouring a different deity from North, East, West, or South India, are housed within the temple. Fly ash was used in the construction of the temple in place of a sizable amount of cement in the concrete mix, reducing carbon footprint.

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