Abu Dhabi's first Hindu temple opening: A look at the largest shrines outside India

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Abu Dhabi’s first Hindu temple on Wednesday (14 February) during his two-day trip to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) Mandir is the Gulf nation’s first traditional hand-carved Hindu temple, situated in the UAE capital’s Abu Mureikha area.

The development comes just weeks after PM Modi presided over the consecration ceremony of the grand Ram temple in Uttar Pradesh’s Ayodhya. As the Indian leader unveiled another temple, let’s take a look at the largest Hindu shrines outside India.

Angkor Wat, Cambodia

The Angkor Wat in Cambodia, which is spread over some 400 acres, is the largest temple complex in the world. Built in the 12th Century by King Suryavarman II in Krong Siem Reap, the shrine is dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu. The temple is famous for its eight-armed Vishnu, who is revered by the locals as their protecting deity, reported Times of India (TOI).

According to Associated Press (AP), it is now described as a Hindu-Buddhist temple. The walls of the architectural marvel have murals depicting the episodes from the Ramayana.

Last year, Angkor Wat beat Pompeii in Italy to become the eighth wonder of the world. It is also one of 1,199 UNESCO World Heritage sites.

BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham, the US

Billed as the second-largest Hindu temple in the world, the BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham was inaugurated in the United States last October.

Popularly known as just Akshardham, the temple is in New Jersey’s Robbinsville Township, about 90 km south of Times Square, New York. Built over 12 years between 2011 to 2023, the temple complex is spans 183 acres.

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Four varieties of marble from Italy and limestone from Bulgaria were used to construct the shrine dedicated to Bhagwan Swaminarayan, a revered 19th-century Hindu spiritual leader.

It took over 4.7 million hours of work by artisans and volunteers to hand-carve about 2 million cubic feet of stone for the shrine, as per AP. The US’ largest Hindu temple also boasts the largest-ever elliptical dome of traditional stone architecture.

It is also dubbed the world’s largest Hindu temple built outside India in the “modern era”.

The temple is the third Akshardham or “abode of the divine” built by the BAPS organisation after two others in New Delhi and Gujarat.

Prambanan temple, Indonesia

The Prambanan temple in Indonesia’s Java consists of 240 temples. Also known as Loro Jonggrang, the shrine was constructed in the 9th Century.

The tallest temple of Prambanan is 47 metres high. The shrines are dedicated to three Hindu Gods – Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva.

The Prambanan temple compound, the largest such complex dedicated to Shiva in Indonesia, is a UNESCO heritage site. The original compound, built in the 10th Century, was destroyed by earthquakes and volcanic eruptions over the years.

After neglect for decades, the temple was rediscovered in the 17th Century and is now being restored.

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Pura Besakih, Indonesia

Pura Besakih, or the Besakih temple, rises from the western slopes of Mount Agung in Bali, Indonesia. Revered as the Mother Temple of Bali, the shrine is located at an altitude of 900 metres.

Covering 49 acres, the temple complex consists of 46 large and small temples. It is reportedly the largest Hindu temple complex in Bali.

Other popular Hindu temples

Nepal’s Pashupatinath Temple is one of the most famous Hindu temples outside India. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, it is located on the banks of the Bagmati river near Kathmandu Valley. The temple is listed under the UNESCO World Heritage site. Hindu devotees from India pay a visit to the shrine every year.

Batu Caves is a series of cave temples located in Gombak, Malaysia. One of the most famous Hindu shrines outside India, it is dedicated to Lord Murugan (god of war). The complex has the Temple Cave which is one of the most significant sites of pilgrimage for Hindus. To reach this, tourists and devotees need to climb 272 concrete steps, as per TOI. 

The Shri Venkateswara temple in the United Kingdom is one of the largest of its kind. Radha Madhav Dham in the US and BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Canada and the Murugan Temple in Australia are some other majestic Hindu temples abroad.

With inputs from agencies