Big milestone for Abu Dhabi temple
THE BAPS Hindu Mandir has marked a significant construction milestone with the “Maha Peeth” ceremony, where the first stone of the temple’s first floor has been laid. Currently, the ground floor and the foundations of the temple have been laid. Despite the summer heat, thousands of people from the Indian diaspora in UAE took part in the stone laying ceremony.
Present at the event were Swami Brahmaviharidas, head of the mandir and Swami Akshaymunidas Swami, who oversees mandir construction overseas. More than 500 distinguished guests from the UAE also took part, including Sunjay Sudhir, Ambassador of India to the UAE. “This is a symbol of the shared vision of UAE’s president Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed and the Indian prime minister Narendra Modi,” said Sudhir.
The construction of the temple’s first floor is important as it will shape the Garbhagruha (inner sanctum). This is the central shrine where the deities will be housed. As well as the intricate stone-carved temple, the complex is spread over 55,000 square metres of land, which will include a food court, majlis, library, exhibition hall, large amphitheatre and two community halls with a 5,000 seat total capacity.
Carved by Rajasthani artisans, the Maha Peeth was consecrated by Mahant Swami Maharaj in India before being transported to Abu Dhabi for the ceremony.
Verses and hymns in Sanskrit were recited in prayer for the temple’s successful and timely completion. Once ready, the temple will be open to people of all faiths. “In addition to laying the stones for a ‘mandir’, each individual must lay a strong foundation of spirituality in their lives to achieve lasting peace and happiness. This ‘mandir’ does not belong to the people who are building it, but to the people who will be using it, visiting it and who will cherish it,” said Brahmavihari Swami.
Sudhir celebrated the historic occasion by speaking of the generosity of the UAE’s rulers in allowing the temple’s construction. “Today is a historic day for us to be a part of. This temple is a symbol of love, harmony and speaks about the generosity of UAE’s rulers…The ‘mandir’ is an example of the commitments of the leaders of the UAE towards building an environment of peace and tolerance and ensuring that all residents of this country feel at home,” he said.
BAPS volunteer Ravi Kadam expressed excitement at the construction. “What a delight it is to be able to witness this temple being built in a city that has been my home for 20 years,” he said.