Truly Inclusive: How A Parsi Group Came Forward To Build Abu Dhabi's Hindu Temple

The recently inaugurated grand Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi, UAE, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has a notable connection to Parsi community. The Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Sanstha (BAPS) Swaminarayan Sanstha's temple, recognised as the first Hindu temple made of stone in the Middle East, was constructed by the Mumbai-based Shapoorji Pallonji Group.

¡°We are deeply honoured to work with the BAPS and create this incredible monument that combines art, harmony and faith, and besides being a celebration of cultural diversity, it¡¯s a testament to our engineering expertise,¡± Shapoorji Pallonji Group Chairman, Shapoorji P Mistry told IANS.

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An Architectural Marvel

Situated on 27 acres of desert land on the outskirts of Abu Dhabi, the BAPS Hindu Temple is considered an architectural marvel. It stands as a testament to India's culture and ancient skills in architecture and sculpture. The temple, adhering to traditional Indian texts and inspired by a lotus motif, is open to people of all faiths.

The Shapoorji Pallonji Group played a crucial role in bringing this vision to life, partnering with BAPS to create a spiritual oasis in the desert. The temple complex, generously donated by UAE's President Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, includes seven ancillary buildings catering to over 15,000 devotees daily.

Tradition meets technology

The main temple, constructed with modern technology and traditional architectural elements, features a unique foundation using bamboo sticks and fiberglass instead of iron and steel reinforcements.

The facade of the temple is made from 40,000 cubic meters of marble from Italy and 180,000 cubic meters of Pink Sandstone from Rajasthan. Thousands of artisans intricately carved stones in Rajasthan, which were then assembled in Abu Dhabi. The temple complex includes distinctive water features representing the holy rivers Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati.

This project is seen as a collaboration that not only celebrates cultural diversity but also strengthens bilateral ties between India and the UAE.

BAPS Temple Abu Dhabi

The BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, established 117 years ago, has multiple temples worldwide and aims to promote spiritual and cultural values.

Established in 1865, the 159-year-old Shapoorji Pallonji Group has other landmarks to its credit including the Sultan¡¯s Palace in Muscat (Oman), the Atal Tunnel in Himachal Pradesh, the Kartavya Path in New Delhi, Port Blair Airport, and Mumbai¡¯s first auditorium, the Shanmukhananda Hall, and it has also produced India¡¯s all-time classic masterpiece film, ¡®Mughal-E-Azam¡¯ (1960), adds IANS.

With IANS inputs