16 deities, 3D-printed lotus, distinctive Arabian look: Inside Dubai's new Hindu temple set for grand opening today

A new Hindu temple in Dubai is set to open today in a grand ceremony ahead of Dussehra. The temple, constructed in Jebel Ali, will be thrown open to the public on Wednesday.

The temple is an extension of the Sindhi Guru Darbar Temple, one of the oldest Hindu temples in the UAE, as per Khaleej Times.

The inauguration of the temple, whose foundation was laid in February 2020, fulfils a decades-long Indian dream of having a place of worship in the area.

The temple will welcome people of all faiths and has allowed entry to worshippers and other visitors to view the 16 deities and other interior works, as per Gulf News.

Indian Express quoted temple authorities as saying Dubai’s Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan is set to be the chief guest and Indian Ambassador to the UAE Sunjay Sudhir the guest of honour today.

“We are a community-driven temple founded in 2022. The Hindu Temple Dubai is a space informed by tradition, nurtured by faith and crafted for the future,” the temple said in a statement as per the newspaper.

“It’s a contemporary spiritual hub, for all faiths, that houses the many faces of divinity from communal connection to worship, knowledge and societal aid,” it added.

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Let’s take a closer look:

Location and design

The house of worship is located in Dubai’s Jebel Ali neighbourhood – also known as ‘Worship Village’ – which houses several churches and the Guru Nanak Darbar Gurudwara.

It has ornate pillars, Arabic and Hindu geometric designs on the facade, and bells on the ceiling.

Most of the deities are installed in the main prayer hall with a large 3D-printed pink lotus unfurling across the central dome.

The temple was built to have a distinctive Arabian look, as per Khaleej Times.

“The columns on the facade and interior were inspired by the traditional columns of the Somnath Temple in Gujarat, India. The main Shikhar dome is inspired by the Nagara style of the Hindu temple architecture found predominantly in North India,” Raju Shroff, an Indian businessman and one of the trustees of the Sindhi Guru Darbar Temple, told the outlet.

Nine glittering brass spires, or kalashas used to cap the temple domes, specially imported from India, have been installed upon the temple, as per the report.

As per The National, the corridor leading to the upper prayer section has 105 brass bells.

Deities worshipped by Hindus have been installed in the main prayer hall on the first floor, which is bordered by an open terrace.

The lower section comprises a large banquet hall, a meditation studio and areas that volunteers can use to teach the Sanskrit language or classical dance and music.

The temple also installed the Guru Granth Sahib, the Holy Book of the Sikhs, in August.

Open to public

As per Khaleej Times, the temple is to open in two phases – to the public first and the knowledge room and community room will be available later.

Visitors can also host weddings and other events in the space, as per the report.

According to the official temple website, the temple will be open from 6:30 am to 8 pm.

Visitors who have booked their appointments to visit the temple from Dubai’s official website for 5 October will be allowed entry without being subject to the hourly number restrictions which are currently in place.

As per Indian Express, a  maximum of four visitors are allowed in a group. Visitors are required to dress modestly, as per the report.

The temple had its soft opening on 1 September where thousands of visitors were allowed to get a glimpse of the interiors of the temple built with white marble.

The temple management activated the QR-code-based appointment booking system via its website on its soft opening.

The temple has received many visitors, especially over the weekends.

The temple can accommodate around 1,200 visitors every day.

Entry has been regulated through QR-coded appointments for crowd management and to ensure social distancing.

With inputs from agencies

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