Video: First Hindu temple’s foundation stone laying ceremony in Abu Dhabi
More than 2,500 people from different parts of the world attend ceremony in UAE capital
Abu Dhabi: The historic foundation stone-laying ceremony of the first traditional Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi has been performed this morning in the presence of thousands of Indian community people and officials from India and the UAE.
At 11.45am foundation stones were laid down following puja ceremonies that started from about 9am.
Dh450m
More than 2,500 Indians from the UAE and across the world took part in the ceremony.
In the early morning people queued up to enter the tent where pujas were being performed. The huge airconditioned tent was fully packed.
The ceremony was being administered as per vedic rituals in the holy presence of His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj, the spiritual leader of Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Sanstha (BAPS) Swaminarayan Sanstha, and graced by Dr Mugheer Al Khaili, Director of Community Development Department, Thani Al Zoyoudi, Minister of Climate Change, and Ahmad Bilhoul Al Falasi, Minister of State for Higher Education Affairs and Advanced Sciences.
Indian ambassador to the UAE, Navdeep Suri, and BR Shetty, Chairman of NMC group were also present at the event.
They all laid foundation stones and cement to accomplish the ceremony.
The BAPS Hindu Mandir is located at Abu Mureikha, E11 Expressway, Exit 366 Abu Dhabi. BAPS is responsible for building the temple.
I was fortunate to get a brick to lay at the temple;s foundation. It’s a great opportunity for me. I came from Gujarat especially for this occasion on April 17 and will be going back on April 21. This initiative will spread the message of communal harmony and peace globally.
Maharaj presided over the Shilanyas Vidhi (foundation stone-laying rituals) along with other sadhus (priests).
However, the Bhumi Pujan – sanctification of the land — were performed at the site in Abu Mureikhah area on February 11, 2018.
The temple is being built on 13.5 acres (55,000 square metres) of land gifted by His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, to the Indian community.
In the Year of Tolerance, the UAE government has gifted an equal area of land additionally for building parking facilities in the temple premises.
The Shilanyas [foundation stone laying] ceremony is a sacred Hindu ritual wherein the first foundation stones are sanctified and fixed in the ground as the base of the Mandir.
The Mandir’s foundation will then be made on these stones considered sacred. After these ceremonies, construction will begin in this Year of Tolerance.
This is really unbelievable and I would like thank the UAE so much for such a great project. We carry a very positive message of love and care from the UAE to the US.