BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi

★★★★★ 3/5

Prelims: History (Temple styles, Various faith and proponents), BAPS

Mains: General Studies 1- Indian Culture – Salient aspects of Art Forms, Literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times.

The Prime Minister is scheduled to inaugurate the BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi. The temple marks the first Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi.

BAPS stands for Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha ( a Vaishnav sect of Hinduism), a Hindu denomination within the Swaminarayan Sampradaya. The organization was founded in 1907 by Shastriji Maharaj.
BAPS is a socio-spiritual Hindu faith with roots in the Vedas. Bhagwan Swaminarayan (1781-1830) revealed the faith in the late 18th century

The temple is being built by the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha on a 27-acre site in Abu Mureikhah, near Al Rahba off the Dubai-Abu Dhabi Sheikh Zayed Highway.
The temple’s facade features exquisite marble carvings set by skilled artisans from Rajasthan and Gujarat.
Architectural elements include two ghumats (domes), seven shikhars (spires) that symbolise the seven UAE’s seven emirates, 12 samrans (dome-like structures) and 402 pillars.
Within each shikhar, intricate carvings depict stories from the Ramayana, Shiv Purana, Bhagavatam and Mahabharata, as well as narratives of Lord Jagannath, Lord Swaminarayan, Lord Venkateshwara and Lord Ayyappa.
The ‘Dome of Harmony’ serves as a unique portrayal of harmony of the five natural elements- earth, water, fire, air and space.
The camel – a symbol of persistence, commitment and endurance, has also been etched into the carvings while drawing inspiration from the landscape of the UAE.

📌A substantial number of pink sandstone were transported from Northern Rajasthan (Makrana) to Abu Dhabi for the temple.