WATCH | Inside Visuals of Abu Dhabi's BAPS Mandir To Be Inaugurated By PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to inaugurate the BAPS Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi, the first Hindu stone temple in the UAE on February 14, according to an official press release from BAPS Hindu Mandir. The inside visuals of the mandir was released on Monday.

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

The vast complex will include a large amphi-theatre, a gallery, a library, a food court, a majlis and two community halls with space for 5,000 people. It will also have gardens and children’s play areas.

It will incorporate intricately designed pink sandstone and marble façade with seven spires that represent each of the Emirates of the country. The temple has been made of 40,000 cubic metres of marble, 1,80,000 cubic metres of sandstone and over 1.8 million bricks.

The temple’s design draws inspiration from Vedic architecture and sculptures. Many of the statues and carvings have been done by artisans in India and have been shipped to Abu Dhabi. The consecration ceremony of the temple is scheduled for 14 February 2024 as it falls on the auspicious Basant Panchami.

All About the BAPS Organisation

BAPS stands for the Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS). The organisation is named after Bhagwan Swaminarayan, a religious leader who lived in the late 1700s.

It is a socio-spiritual Hindu faith with its roots in the vedas and was pioneered by Bhagwan Swaminarayan (1781-1830) in the late 18th century and established in 1907 by Shastriji Maharaj (1865-1951), according to the BAPS website.

The BAPS claims to run over 3,850 centres across the world and 1,100 temples. The organisation was also behind the Akshardham in Robbinsville, New Jersey, which is also the world’s largest Hindu temple outside of India.