Photos: Inside the all-new BAPS Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi

The grandeur of the first Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi during a media tour showcasing a captivating blend of traditional Indian architecture and a celebration of global cultures and values of tolerance and harmony upheld by the UAE.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to inaugurate the temple on February 14.

The Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled the temple model in February 2018, marking the project's launch after the UAE government allotted the land for it during his previous visit in August 2015.

The 55,000 sqm temple features intricate architecture and delicate carvings.

Artisans carved the columns and pillars in stones in Rajasthan and Gujarat in India. The pink rocks are from Rajasthan, and the marble is from Macedonia in Italy.

On 29 January 2024, representatives from 42 nations convened at the expansive 27-acre construction site of the BAPS Hindu Temple in Abu Dhabi at the invitation of the Indian Embassy in the UAE. Ambassadors and senior diplomats from Argentina, Armenia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, Chad, Chile, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, the Dominican Republic, Egypt, the European Union, Fiji, Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Moldova, Montenegro, Nepal, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Nigeria, Panama, Philippines, Poland, Seychelles, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Syria, Thailand, the UAE, the UK, the US, Zimbabwe and Zambia were among those who visited the temple site.

More than 20,000 tonnes of stone and marble were shipped to Abu Dhabi in more than 700 containers over the past three years.

Scenes from Hindu epics, scriptures, ancient stories from India, and motifs popular in the Gulf countries adorn the majestic stone facade of the seven spires representing the seven emirates.

Workers giving finishing touches at BAPS Hindu Mandir.

Three symbolic rivers, Ganga, Yamuna and Sarasvati, are being readied at BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi.

Visitors can ring a series of small copper and brass bells before they enter the temple.

Workers giving finishing touches at BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi.

As announced earlier, the public opening date is February 18, four days after the consecration ceremony.

However, UAE residents have been urged to visit the temple from March 1 with pre-registration on a dedicated website and app.