Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to inaugurate the first traditional Hindu stone temple in Abu Dhabi on February 14. The temple will be inaugurated in a Vedic ceremony under the guidance of Pujya Mahant Swami Maharaj. On February 18, the temple will open its gates to the general public.
The Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) previously confirmed in a press release that Mr Modi will be accompanied by Swami Ishwacharandas and Swami Brahmaviharidas, along with the board of directors.
UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan gifted the land during the prime minister’s first official visit to the UAE in August 2015. The temple construction kicked off in December 2019 and is anticipated to last for more than 1,000 years.
1,500 workers meticulously crafted the 27-acre pink sandstone temple by hand. Countless community leaders and hundreds of volunteers supported the temple construction, which is a dream come true for BAPS and millions of Hindus.
Abdulnasser Alshaali, the UAE’s ambassador to India, stated that the inauguration of the Swaminarayan temple of the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha will be a momentous occasion to “celebrate tolerance and acceptance.”
