PM Modi to inaugurate BAPS temple in UAE today: 10 things you need to know

India and the UAE are likely to ink a new agreement today for the promotion and protection of bilateral investments in each other’s country after the meeting between the two leaders.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to open the doors of the Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) temple, which will be the first Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi, on February 14.

PM Modi will be in the UAE on a two-day official visit. This will be his seventh visit since 2015 and the third in the last eight months.

India and the UAE are likely to sign a new agreement today for the promotion and protection of bilateral investments in each other’s countries after the meeting between the two leaders.

The two sides will also seek to enhance bilateral cooperation in areas such as energy, ports, digital infrastructure, and railways.

Additionally, the Prime Minister will participate in the World Government Summit 2024, to be held in Dubai, as a Guest of Honour and deliver a special keynote address."

10 things you need to know about the BAPS temple

- The BAPS Hindu temple is constructed from pink Rajasthan sandstone and white Italian marble stone, which were carved in India and then transported to the UAE for assembly.

- PM Modi laid the foundation of the temple in 2017.

- The pink sandstone temple in the UAE has been built on a 27-acre plot granted on lease by President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, with the lease lasting as long as “the sun shines.”

- The BAPS temple building is an international community-based Hindu fellowship affiliated with the United Nations, actively involved in providing religious and spiritual services to its devotees in the UAE.

- Situated in the Abu Mureikhah area, the BAPS temple is poised to become the Middle East’s first traditional Hindu stone temple. The UAE already has three other Hindu temples, all located in Dubai.

- The BAPS temple, which sprawls across a vast area with stone architecture, has been under construction since 2019.

- Apart from the main deity Swamy Narayana, the BAPS temple houses seven other deities. Among them is Tirumala’s Sri Padmavati Srinivasa, also known as Tirupati Sri Venkateshwara.

- The inauguration event includes an exhibition featuring over 700 artists, showcasing the rich diversity of Indian arts. Additionally, more than 65,000 Indians have registered to participate in the Ahlan Modi event.

- During the visit, the prime minister will not only inaugurate the temple but also address a gathering of over 40,000 people from the South Asian nation at a stadium in Abu Dhabi.

- Over 150 community groups will participate in the event, highlighting the regional diversity of both India and the Emirates.