The BAPS Hindu Mandir Abu Dhabi is the first traditional Hindu stone temple in the Middle East •Inauguration: Opened on 14 January 2024 by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. •Location: Situated in Abu Mureikhah, near Al Rahba off the main Dubai-Abu Dhabi Sheikh Zayed Highway. Pramukh Swami Maharaj envisioned a mandir in Abu Dhabi in 1997. In 2015, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, gifted 27 acres of land for the project. Construction commenced in December 2019 at Abu Mureikhah, near the Dubai-Abu Dhabi Sheikh Zayed Highway, with over 2,000 artisans crafting the stonework in India and more than 200 volunteers from around the world contributing over 690,000 hours. The mandir is constructed from Rajasthani pink sandstone and Italian marble, standing 108 feet tall, 262 feet long, and 180 feet wide. It features seven shikhars symbolizing the seven Emirates and houses seven shrines dedicated to Swaminarayan and Gunatitanand Swami, Radha-Krishna, Sita-Rama, Shiva-Parvati, Venkateshwara, Jagannath, and Ayyappan. The mandir has become a symbol of interfaith harmony: the land was donated by a Muslim crown prince, the lead architect was Christian, the construction manager was Sikh, and the foundation designer was Buddhist. Its carvings draw from the Ramayana, Shiva Purana, Bhagavatam, Mahabharata, and alongside Arabian, Egyptian, Mesopotamian, and Native American traditions. The mandir complex includes the traditional Hindu mandir, a visitor centre, prayer halls, exhibitions, learning areas, sports area for children, thematic gardens, water features, a food court, and a books and gift shop. #dubai #tiktok #followme #follow #abhudhabi - @capturedubai1