First Hindu Temple in Abu Dhabi Will Be Inaugurated by India’s PM

The newest Hindu temple in the UAE will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narandra Modi on February 14th.

BAPS Hindu Mandir, which is also the first traditional Hindu stone temple in Abu Dhabi, is the third Hindu temple in the Emirates, a country with a significant Hindu minority that is made up primarily of Indian and Nepali expatriates. The first temple was built back in 1958 in Bur Dubai, while the second was built in Jabal Ali in 2022.

The 13.5 acres upon which the temple is built was donated by Crown Prince Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan during Prime Minister Modi’s visit to the UAE in 2015, with an additional 13.5 acres allocated by the government four years later.

The construction is a combination of Arabic and Asian styles, built from pink Rajasthan sandstone and white marble. It features seven spires, each of which symbolises one Emirate within the UAE, as well as themed gardens and learning areas. 100 sensors were installed in the foundation of the temple to measure seismic activity and temperature change, with the total cost for the temple estimated to be AED 400 million.