Carved pillars of Abu Dhabi’s first Hindu temple take shape in India
Intricately carved pillars destined for Abu Dhabi’s first Hindu temple are being made ready in India, with more than 2,000 sculptors working on the final designs.
The pillars will be assembled and shipped to the UAE by the end of March next year.
The Baps Swaminarayan Sanstha, the organisation behind the construction of the temple, offered an early look at motifs and graceful figures engraved in the columns.
The engravings depict elephants holding up garlands, dancing peacocks, camels and men on horses with conches.
They also feature carvings of deities from ancient Hindu scriptures and dancers and musicians with instruments such as drums and flutes.
“With the support of the community and guidance from the leadership in India and the UAE, the work on the historic mandir [ temple] is progressing,” said a temple spokesman.
He said artisans in India had carved the pillars from 707 cubic metres of stone.
Swami Brahmavihari, the priest that handles international relations at Baps, was in the UAE to supervise work at the site that will house the country’s first traditional Hindu temple in Abu Mureikha area.
The final designs reveal water features that circle the temple complex, a large amphitheatre that overlooks the shrine, two small waterfalls that flank the entrance steps, a library and community centre.
“This mandir will be uniquely identified by its intricate mandovar [facade], which will share many traditional value tales from throughout India, as well as unique designs of the Gulf,” said the spokesman.
“The fact that the mandir is moving forward at such a steady pace is in itself a statement of the vision of the leaders of the UAE and India and of the local community’s commitment to making a lasting contribution to the country that has become their home and the heart of success and growth.”
Priests involved in the planning and Pavan Kapoor, India’s ambassador to the UAE, met Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, last month to provide him with an update on the temple.
Research teams earlier visited temples across India to find inspiration for the designs.
The temple is scheduled to be completed by 2022 and will welcome people of all religions from around the world.
As with traditional temples in India, the structure will not use steel or iron reinforcements.
The temple is scheduled to be completed by 2022 and will welcome people of all religions from around the world
The marble columns and sandstone structure will be fitted together in the UAE.
The Baps organisation has built temples such as the Akshardham in New Delhi using the same technique.
The shrine has been described as an example of peaceful coexistence in the Emirates, where people from around the world are free to follow their religion.
Meanwhile, the organisation asked worshippers to participate in Diwali, or the Hindu festival of lights, celebrations online.
Details of Diwali activities such as food offerings and community competitions are available on https://www. mandir.ae/diwali.