PM Narendra Modi Inaugurates UAEs First BAPS Hindu Temple Today; 5 Points

Abu Dhabi, UAE:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday inaugurated the Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) temple, the first-ever Hindu temple in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The inauguration ceremony will start at 6 PM IST. 

The iconic stone temple is located in Abu Mureikhah, near Al Rahba off the Dubai-Abu Dhabi Sheikh Zayed Highway.

Ahead of the inauguration ceremony, let us take a look at 5 interesting facts about the BAPS Hindu Mandir:

• Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Hindu Mandir or BAPS Hindu Mandir is spread over a 27-acre piece of land.
• The temple is constructed on the land gifted by Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the President of UAE. In 2015 he donated 13.5 acres of land for the construction of the first temple in the UAE. In 2019, he gifted an additional 13.5 acres.
• The inauguration of the BAPS Hindu temple will be celebrated through the 12-day ‘Festival of Harmony’. The celebration commenced on February 10 and will continue until February 21 with a series of programmes and community events.
• The foundation of the BAPS Hindu Mandir was laid in April 2019, and its construction began in December same year.
• The cost of the construction of the temple is estimated to be around 400 million United Arab Emirates dirhams, as per reports.