The Story of Dubai's Oldest Indian Family & Its Century-Long Legacy With Temples

Amidst the buzz surrounding the inauguration of a monumental new temple in Abu Dhabi, an Indian family, with roots in the UAE spanning over a century, reminisces about their connection to temples in Dubai, highlighting the inclusive culture of the Gulf nation.

BAPS Hindu Temple/X

Oldest Indian family's 4th generation in Dubai

Deepak Bhatia, Managing Director of Uncles Shop Building Material Trading in Dubai, reflects on his family's enduring presence in the region, tracing back to his grandfather, Uttamchandan Bhatia, who arrived in Dubai in 1920. So, Bhatia?has had four generations living in the Gulf country into its 104th year.

Uttamchandan, affectionately known as Vattra, shared a lifelong friendship with the then UAE Vice President, Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum.?“The UAE has been very liberal, and there are no differences ever experienced between a UAE national and expatriates, making it home for many expats who have been living here for decades,” Bhatia told PTI.

He then spoke about the oldest Hindu temple in Bur Dubai, a symbol of religious tolerance and unity. Situated opposite the historic Al-Fahidi Mosque, the 100-year-old temple stands as a testament to peaceful cohabitation.

AP

Oldest temple in UAE

“This is a true example of the people of two faiths performing prayers at similar times in peace and humility,” he said. “My late grandfather and another Indian, late Dhamanmal Issardas, were instrumental in acquiring the land for this temple from late Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, making it the oldest temple in this region,” Bhatia said.

“Before building the temple, the land in the 1920s and 30s had some godowns for merchants who conducted various businesses in the Bur Dubai Abra lane and a Gowshala (shed for cows) owned by my late grandfather and one Indian goldsmith Kanthar Nagi Soni,” he said. Later, Hindu Idol was placed there with permission from the Late HH Sheikh Saeed bin Maktoum Al Maktoum (grandfather of the current ruler of Dubai Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum), he said.

As the population increased, Bhatia’s grandfather approached the ruler for a land grant to build the temple for the community. “I have some old photos in our family archives dated 1936 of the area and the temple land of the current day,” he said.

"The Mercantile Hindu Committee of Thattha Sindh now manages the Krishna Haweli temple," Bhatia said.

REUTERS

PM Modi's UAE visit?

Notably,?Prime Minister Narendra Modi's forthcoming visit to the UAE holds significant importance, signaling a deepening of bilateral ties and underscoring shared values of coexistence and acceptance.

Describing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the UAE as "very important" in bilateral ties, the Gulf country's ambassador to India Abdulnasser Alshaali on Monday said this inauguration stood for values of "coexistence, acceptance, and tolerance". "I'm sure that you will be seeing further areas of cooperation over the coming years...you will see this relationship getting stronger," Alshaali told PTI videos.

BAPS,?the first Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi

The Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) Mandir, the first Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi, is located in Abu Mureikhah near Al Rahba off the Dubai-Abu Dhabi Sheikh Zayed Highway. The temple has come up on around 27 acres of land in Abu Dhabi and the work for the structure has been going on since 2019. The land for the temple was donated by the UAE government.

With three other Hindu temples already established in Dubai, the BAPS Mandir is poised to become the largest in the Gulf region. Against the backdrop of the temple's inauguration, the UAE reaffirms its commitment to fostering a society built on the principles of coexistence and mutual respect.

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