New Delhi: 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.
In response, Swami Maharaj warmly replied, “We are touched by your love and respect. The leaders of the UAE are great, good, and large-hearted.” The inauguration of the iconic Mandir will be celebrated through the ‘Festival of Harmony’ – a series of uplifting programs and community events focused on strengthening faith, mobilizing community service, and inspiring harmony among people of all generations and backgrounds, the Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) said in a press release.
The visit by Prime Minister Modi will further signify the close ties between India and the UAE. This will be Modi’s seventh visit to UAE as the prime minister. Brahmaviharidas Swami, who has been overseeing the Mandir project under the guidance of Swami Maharaj, explained, “The BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi serves as a spiritual oasis for global harmony that celebrates the past and recalibrates the future.
“It is a timeless testament to the spirituality of His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj and the generosity, sincerity, and friendship of the leaderships of the UAE, India, and BAPS,” he said.
