UAE: Abu Dhabi Hindu Temple Unveils 12-Day "Festival of Harmony" Celebration
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will open the BAPS Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi on February 14, therefore marking the first conventional stone temple for Hindus in the United Arab Emirates.
The BAPS Hindu Mandir made public an official press statement announcing this noteworthy occasion. The spiritual leader of the BAPS group, Swami Mahant Swami Maharaj, arrived in the UAE ahead of the great inauguration prepared to take part in this historic event.
Warmly welcoming Swami Maharaj and expressing thanks for his presence in the country, Mubarak Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, Welcome to the UAE he said. Your presence blesses our country. Your generosity touches us and we sense your prayers. In response, Swami Maharaj praised the UAE authorities for their brilliance and kindness, therefore reflecting the love and respect shown to him.
The temple's opening will coincide with the "Festival of Harmony," a series of inspirational events and community service initiative meant to promote religion, unity among people from many backgrounds. This celebration, according to the Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Sanstha (BAPS), offers a chance to foster harmony and deepen links between generations by means of community projects.
Weekly satsang gatherings have been helping the Hindu community in the UAE to develop their spiritual practices for many years. Often augmented by the visits of spiritual teachers from India , these meetings center on prayer, spiritual conversations, and community development. Such projects have helped community members to realize their aim of building a mandir by fostering a strong feeling of connection and goal.
One of the turning points came in February 2018 when Abu Dhabi's Crown Prince, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, kindly offered a temple site. This event demonstrated UAE's will to support interfaith communication and understanding between many religions and civilizations. Prime Minister Modi's introduction of the project at the Dubai Opera during the same month matched this act, therefore attesting to a major turning point in the UAE-Indian relationship.
Prime Minister Modi's forthcoming visit marks the close and strong bonds between India and the UAE. As Prime Minister Modi's sixth official trip to the UAE will underline the significance of this bilateral relationship. Especially in December, he participated in the COP28 Summit in Dubai upon invitation from Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, so improving diplomatic relations.
Emphasizing the temple's function as a spiritual haven fostering world peace, Brahmaviharidas Swami, who has been managing the Mandir project under Swami Maharaj, underlined The BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi, he said, is a "timeless monument to the spirituality" of His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj and embodies the kindness, sincerity, and friendliness of the leadership in the UAE, India, and the BAPS organization.
The temple is expected to be not only a place of worship but also a cultural center as the community gets ready for the inauguration, therefore promoting a closer knowledge and respect of Hindu traditions among the varied UAE population. Encouragement of people from all backgrounds to gather in joy and unity, the Festival of Harmony promises to enhance the cultural scene of the local community.