UAE’s first BAPS Hindu temple to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Modi on February 14

Abu Dhabi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the BAPS Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi, the first traditional Hindu stone temple in the UAE, on February 14, according to an official press release from BAPS Hindu Mandir.

Ahead of the grand opening of the temple on a 27-acre piece of land in Abu Mureikhah district, Swami Mahant Swami Maharaj, the spiritual leader of BAPS, has arrived in the UAE.

“Welcome to the UAE. Our nation is blessed with your presence. We are touched by your kindness and we feel your prayers,” Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence said.

On January 29, India invited ambassadors of 42 countries for a tour of the temple and the Indian ambassador in UAE, Sunjay Sudhir, hosted the diplomatic corps from across the globe for the special tour.

The envoys were awed by the temple’s unique architecture, intricate motifs and its message of unity, peace and harmony, the Indian embassy later said in a statement.

The temple, adorned with intricate hand-carved stone sculptures, is expected to draw crowds.