BAPS temple in UAE

BAPS temple in UAE is the first Hindu temple in the UAE. While its external facade uses pink sandstone from Rajasthan, the interior uses Italian marbles. Here is all you need to know about the unique temple.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the first Hindu temple in the United Arab Emirates, the BAPS Swaminarayan temple, in Abu Dhabi during his two-day visit.

The inauguration of the 108-ft high temple marks a significant moment for the Hindu community in UAE, as well as for the two countries’ bilateral ties.

What is BAPS?

The temple has been built by the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS), a denomination of the Swaminarayan Sampradaya, a Vaishnav sect of Hinduism.

BAPS has a network of around 1,550 temples across the world, including the Akshardham temples in New Delhi and Gandhinagar, and Swaminarayan temples in London, Houston, Chicago, Atlanta, Toronto, Los Angeles, and Nairobi.

It also runs almost 3,850 centres and 17,000 weekly assemblies globally.

According to a BAPS spokesman, on April 5, 1997, Pramukh Swami Maharaj, the tenth spiritual guru and leader of the sect, had a vision of a Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi’s desert that could unite nations, communities, and cultures.

“In addition to this was the need of the local Indian community to have a significant place of worship,” the spokesperson added.

Almost 3.3 million Indians live abroad in the United Arab Emirates, making up a sizable portion of the population. Between 150 and 200 of these households are followers of BAPS Swaminarayan.

What are the features of the BAPS temple?

The Abu Dhabi temple is a conventional Hindu temple made of stone that has seven shikhars. Constructed in the conventional Nagar fashion, the front panel of the temple features images of Hindu spiritual masters and avatars alongside stories of peace from other cultures and global principles.

The temple complex occupies 13.5 acres out of a total of 27 acres, with 13.5 acres used for parking, which can hold about 1,400 automobiles and 50 buses. The UAE President, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, gave the 13.5 acres of property as a gift in 2019.

Dimensions of BAPS Temple in UAE

The temple is 108 feet tall, 262 feet long, and 180 feet wide. Italian marbles are used inside, while pink sandstone from Rajasthan is used on the outside facade. Seven hundred containers carrying 20,000 tons of marble and stones were imported for the temple. The building of the temple cost about Rs 700 crore.

The temple has two central domes, Dome of Harmony and Dome of Peace, emphasising human coexistence through the carvings of earth, water, fire, air, and plants.

One of the biggest 3D-printed walls in the United Arab Emirates, A Wall of Harmony, has a film that highlights significant building milestones for the temple. Thirty different historical and contemporary languages have written the word “harmony.”

The seven shikhars (spires) are representative of the seven Emirates of the UAE.

Other amenities include an assembly hall with a capacity of 3,000 people, a community centre, exhibitions, classrooms, and a majlis venue.

Who can visit the temple?

It is open for everyone like all the BAPS Temple in the  World.

The temple features deities from all four regions of India. Lord Shiv, Parvati, Ganpati, Kartikeya, Lord Jagannath, Lord Radha-Krishna, Akshar-Purushottam Maharaj (Bhagwan Swaminarayan and Gunatitanand Swami), Lord Ayappa, and Lord Ram, Sita, Lakshman, and Hanuman are a few of them.

The temple also has some special features, like a ‘holy river’ surrounding it, for which waters from Ganga and Yamuna have been brought in. The river Saraswati has been depicted in the form of white light. A Varanasi-like ghat has been created where the ‘Ganga’ passes.

In addition to fifteen moral stories from Indian civilization, tales from the cultures of the Maya, Aztec, Egyptian, Arabic, European, Chinese, and African civilizations have also been presented.

What is the significance of the temple?

“A Muslim King gave land for a Hindu temple; the chief architect is a Catholic Christian, the project manager is Sikh, the foundational designer is Buddhist, the building company is Parsi, and the director is of Jain descent,” a BAPS spokesman stated.

The UAE’s president, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, was the main guest at the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit 2024, which took place in January in Gandhinagar. PM Modi personally welcomed Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan at Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai International Airport.

President Zayed met Prime Minister Modi at the airport upon his arrival in the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday, February 13. The two leaders exchanged warm embraces.