Video: ‘Beautiful feeling’ as UAE gurudwara re-opens in Dubai after 110 days

Dubai: After 110 days, the Guru Nanak Darbar Gurudwara in Jebel Ali, Dubai, re-opened on Saturday following the lifting of the suspension of places of worship in the UAE.

Mosques nationwide (and Dubai’s sole Hindu temple) had already re-opened last week after being closed since mid-March as a precaution against the coronavirus pandemic.

The Gurudwara, a place of worship for the Sikh community also visited by people from other faiths, opened on Saturday following clearance by Dubai’s Community Development Authority, said Surender Singh Kandhari, chairman of the gurudwara.

With all precautionary measures in place, it opened from 9am to 9.30am (and will also open 6pm to 6.30pm) as per the official directions, Kandhari added. These timings will be followed Saturday to Thursday for two weeks, after which officials will decide further on the matter, he said.

Until then, the Gurudwara will remain closed on Fridays. The short timings allow only for a walk-through darshan (‘viewing’ of the deity). Children below 12 years and people above 60 will not be allowed to enter the gurudwara until further notice.

Around 250 people visited the Gurudwara on Saturday morning, Kandhari said.

“We had a very nice re-opening in the morning, it was a beautiful feeling. People were very well disciplined, very well behaved. They kept the social distancing norms, they were very co-operative. “It’s a blessing to see the Gurudwara open again. People were overwhelmed, we found some of them in tears when they entered the Gurudwara,” Kandhari added.

As part of the precautions, visitors have to wear masks, gloves, use sanitisers, go through sanitising tunnels, have their temperature checked and maintain social distancing.