BAPS Mandir, UAE’s First Hindu Temple Built for $110M, is a Lotus in the Desert and a Beacon of Global Harmony

Similar to the largest Akshardham Swaminarayan Temple in America, the Middle East’s first-ever stone temple is all set for a grand inauguration on February 14. Located near Zayed International Airport of Abu Dhabi, the BAPS Hindu Mandir resembles a lotus in the sprawling desert from high on. The temple, a monumental piece of architecture spread across 27 acres of land donated by the UAE government, is a beacon of global harmony, embodying the cultural legacy of both countries – India and the UAE.

The BAPS Hindu Mandir in UAE makes for an ideal detour for Indian travelers transiting through Dubai DXB Airport or Abu Dhabi (now Zayed International) Airport. This newest addition to a Dubai or Abu Dhabi stopover itinerary would turn your layover into a spiritual sojourn when you connect to India or USA via the UAE. Built for a whopping US$ 110 million, the temple with 410 pillars rises 108 feet above the golden sandscape of Abu Dhabi.

PC: DDnews.gov.in

A spiritual oasis for global harmony in the Gulf

With its foundation laid in 2017, the temple is a beautiful artwork in stone that evokes wonder and admiration for thousands of skilled artisans, engineers and volunteers from India, the UAE, the US and other countries. “A Muslim king donated for a Hindu mandir, where the lead architect is a Catholic Christian, the project manger is a Sikh, the foundational designer is a Buddhist, the director is from the Jain community, and the construction company is a Paris group,” said a BAPS spokesperson. Indeed, the temple is a tangible emblem of communal harmony in the Gulf.

Massive construction and 700,000 volunteering hours     

The construction of Abu Dhabi’s BAPS Hindu Temple had been a huge logistic undertaking over the past four years. 180,000 cubic feet of sandstone from Rajasthan and 40,000 cubic feet of marble from Italy have gone into the making of this spiritual Xanadu. More than 25,000 hand-carved pieces of stone from India were assembled on site as per the preconceived digital model. It demanded more than 690,000 hours of over 200 volunteers from different walks of life.

The temple construction commanded strict adherence to the principles of Shilpa Shastra. The use of iron and steel was completely avoided in the construction of the Middle East’s first BAPS mandir, just like Ayodhya’s Ram Mandir. Fly ash was predominantly used in the concrete mix for the foundation to make the temple sustain 1000 years in extreme temperatures of Abu Dhabi. Interestingly, 100 sensors have been embedded in the foundation and 350 sensors throughout the temple structure to receive data on seismic activity, pressure changes and temperature volatility in the area surrounding the temple.

Design, architecture, sculpture, facilities, attractions

BAPS Hindu Mandir, Abu Dhabi is a spiritual Xanadu with a waterfall, a Varanasi-like ghat, a pillar of pillars, and the Dome of Harmony. Despite being a modern structure, the temple exudes the age-old charm of ancient Indian stone shrines in its every inch from the splendid sandstone exterior to the majestic marble interior. The intricate carvings on the pillars, domes, walls and arches bring to life timeless tales of the Indian epics and teachings of the Hindu scriptures – which walk the followers of various faiths through the cultural heritage of Bharat.

The temple pays homage to its geographical host by integrating some elements of the Arabian heritage into its traditional design. The seven shikaras (spires) with beautiful figurines of Hindu gods and goddesses carved onto them, represent the seven emirates of the UAE. The temple walls feature carvings of horses, camels and falcons among the animal-centric motifs found in the Emirati sculpture, alongside engravings of classical dancers and musicians from the history of India. The Sun, the Moon, and other objects of celestial importance have also been sculpted to connect the temple with the cosmos.

BAPS Mandir of Abu Dhabi, open to all, is a congregation of the most worshiped deities from all over India. the temple has shrines dedicated to Radha Krishna, Ram Sita, Hanuman, Shiva Parvati, Lakshmi Narayana, Ganesha, Kartikeya, Jagannath, Ayyappa Swami, and Padmavati Venkateswara. It also houses lifelike idols of Bhagwan Swaminarayan and Akshar-Purushottam. With a capacity to accommodate 10,000 people at a time, the temple has earned the distinction of being the largest temple in West Asia

Among the attractions within the  temple complex are thematic gardens, an amphitheater, and a waterfall feature symbolic of the confluence of three holy rivers – the Ganga, the Yamuna, and the Saraswati. The amphitheater designed like a ghat on the Ganga River in Varanasi boasts of serene ambience. The temple complex also houses an exhibition hall, a meditation hall, a library, a food court, a visitor center, a gift shop, children’s playgrounds and several other facilities.

The Dome of Harmony, one of the architectural highlights of the temple, features exquisite carvings of the pancha bhutas – air, water, fire, earth and space – signifying the harmonious coexistence of these basic elements in the universe. Among other attractions are 96 bells adorning the path leading to the main temple. These bells collectively signifies Pramukh Swami Maharaja’s 96 years of mortal life on earth.