The first ever independent and standalone Hindu temple in Dubai is all set to be inaugurated on October 4, a day before Dussehra. The temple is located at ‘Worship Village’ in Jebel Ali. The area also houses several churches and a gurdwara.
As per Khaleej Times, it is an extension of Sindhi Guru Darbar Temple, which is one of the oldest Hindu temples in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The temple will be open to the public from October 5.
The foundation of the temple was laid in 2020, fulfilling the decade-long demand of Hindus in the region. Idols of 16 deities have been installed in the temple. It consists of ornate pillars, Hindu and Arabic geometric designs on the facade and bells on the ceiling. Shri Guru Granth Sahib has also been installed in the temple.
Dubai to get a Hindu temple today, ahead of Dussehra. Invitation letter: pic.twitter.com/YOpIkrhzzY
— Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) October 4, 2022
On September 1, the soft opening of the temple took place that was attended by thousands of devotees. A 3D-printed pink lotus has been installed at the central dome in the main hall where the idols of deities are installed. The temple can accommodate as many as 1200 devotees on any given day.
Gulf News quoted Temple trustee Raju Shroff as saying, “With the benevolence of the Rulers of the UAE and the gracious support of the Community Development Authority (CDA), we are holding the official inaugural ceremony of the Hindu Temple Dubai tomorrow evening.” He added that public entry will be restricted on the inauguration day and requested the devotees not to visit the temple before October 5.
Shroff added that Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan would be the chief guest for the event. Furthermore, the Indian Ambassador to the UAE, Sunjay Sudhir, has been invited as the guest of honour. CDA officials and other guests will be present for the event.
To make the ‘darshan’ easier for the devotees, the temple management has installed a QR-based appointment system on its online platforms. As per the temple’s official website, it will remain open from 6:30 AM to 8 PM. Initially, only limited devotees were allowed to visit the temple. However, from October 5, there will be restrictions on the number of devotees, and they can enter the premises after booking an appointment.
