New Delhi: S Jaishankar, India’s External Affairs Minister visited the site of the first Hindu temple under construction in Abu Dhabi on the sidelines of his three-day tour to the country. Jaishankear also celebrated Ganesh Chaturthi and met the devotees and workers at the site during his visit here. Jaishankar informed everyone about his visit on Twitter.
He said that he was happy with the rapid progress of the construction. Notably, the foundation stone of the first Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2018.
On Ganesh Chaturthi, blessed to visit the @BAPS Hindu temple under construction in Abu Dhabi.
Glad to see the rapid progress and deeply appreciate the devotion of all involved. Met the BAPS team, community supporters and devotees and workers at the site. pic.twitter.com/7ZezrfvkuR
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) August 31, 2022
1. After the construction work of the temple will be completed, it is reported that 60,000-odd Hindu residents of Abu Dhabi will be benefited from it as they do not have to travel out of the region.
2. The crown prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan donated 13.5 acres of land to BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha in 2015.
3. Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the temple during a visit in 2018.
4. As per the reports, the design of the temple is taken from the Akshardham temple in Delhi and another BAPS temple in New Jersey.
5. Every corner and crevice of the temple will be made of pink stones and marble, brought from Rajasthan, and Macedonia.
6. The stone was selected from the northern Indian state due to its ability to withstand temperatures of up to 50 degree Celsius.
7. The temple complex will include a visitor centre, prayer halls, exhibitions, sports area, learning area for kids, thematic gardens, water features, a food court and a book & gift shop.
8. The temple is slated to complete in the year 2024. It will be the first traditional Hindu stone mandir in the Middle East.
