PM Modi inaugurates first Hindu stone temple in Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi, Feb 14: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday inaugurated Abu Dhabi's first Hindu stone temple amid devotional chants and in the presence of spiritual leaders of the Swaminarayan sect.
Dressed in a light pink silk dhoti and kurta paired with a sleeveless jacket and stole, the prime minister participated in rituals of a ceremony to dedicate the temple to the people.
The prime minister also participated in "Global Aarti", which was performed simultaneously at over 1,200 temples of the Swaminarayan sect worldwide built by the Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS).
Earlier, Modi met people from different faiths who contributed to the construction of the first Hindu stone temple here.
The prime minister also offered water in the virtual Ganga and Yamuna rivers at the temple before proceeding to inaugurate the temple built on a 27-acre site in Abu Mreikhah, near Al Rahba off the Dubai-Abu Dhabi Sheikh Zayed Highway, at a cost of around Rs 700 crore.
According to the temple authorities, the grand temple has been built as per an ancient style of construction and creation mentioned in the Shilpa and Sthapathya Shastras, Hindu scriptures which describe the art for mandir design and construction.
"The architectural methods have been clubbed with scientific techniques here. Over 300 high-tech sensors have been installed at every level of the temple to measure temperature, pressure and movement (seismic activity). The sensors will provide live data for research. If there is any earthquake in the region, the temple will detect it, and we will be able to study," Swami Brahmaviharidas, head of international relations for BAPS, told PTI.
No metal has been used in the construction of the temple and fly ash has been used to fill up the foundation, replacing 55 per cent of cement in the concrete mix, reducing the carbon footprint of the temple.
Madhusudan Patel, the temple's construction manager, told PTI, "We have used heat-resistant nano tiles and heavy glass panels, merging both traditional aesthetic stone structures with modern-day functionality. Considering the extreme temperatures in the UAE, the tiles will be comfortable for visitors to walk even in hot weather. Non-ferrous material has also been used in the temple."
Constructed with 18 lakh bricks, seven lakh man hours and 1.8 lakh cubic metres of sandstone sourced directly from Rajasthan Abu Dhabi's first Hindu temple has been made in the Nagara style of architecture, just like the recently inaugurated Ram Temple in Ayodhya.
According to Umesh Raja, a volunteer at the temple, 20,000 tonnes of sandstone pieces were carved in Rajasthan and then shipped to Abu Dhabi in 700 containers.
"Not just the stone, many labourers who helped construct the temple over five years belong to Gujarat and Rajasthan. Even the marble mined from Italy was first shipped to India for carving and then back to the UAE to be used in the interiors," he said.
The work for the structure has been going on since 2019. The land for the temple was donated by the UAE government. The UAE has three other Hindu temples that are located in Dubai. The BAPS temple, spread over a large area with stone architecture, will be the largest of all in the Gulf region.
Prime Minister Modi is in the UAE on a two-day visit, his seventh visit to the Emirates since 2015 and his third in the last eight months.
Watch | Prime Minister @narendramodi inscribes the message of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' on a stone at BAPS Hindu temple in #AbuDhabi, UAE
— The Times Of India (@timesofindia) February 14, 2024
Track LIVE updates here: https://t.co/KwBO0M1cnT #BAPSHinduMandir pic.twitter.com/CVqvOSCvp0
Watch | Prime Minister #NarendraModi inaugurates BAPS Mandir, the first Hindu temple in #AbuDhabi, UAE #BAPSHinduMandir pic.twitter.com/zh63Xms8dh
— The Times Of India (@timesofindia) February 14, 2024
#WATCH | Visuals of #BAPSMandir, the first Hindu temple in #AbuDhabi
— Hindustan Times (@htTweets) February 14, 2024
Prime Minister #NarendraModi will inaugurate it today#ModiInUAE
(📹ANI)
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India cricketer Rinku Singh receives underworld threat: Mumbai Crime Branch confirms
Mumbai: Indian cricketer and 2025 Asia Cup champion Rinku Singh has reportedly received a threat from the underworld, according to the Mumbai Crime Branch. The investigation has revealed that Dawood Ibrahim-led D-Company sent multiple ransom demands earlier this year.
Authorities confirmed that between February and April 2025, Rinku’s promotional team received three extortion messages demanding ₹5 crore. Acting on the leads, police arrested two suspects, Mohammed Dilshad and Mohammed Naveed, from the Caribbean. The duo was extradited and handed over to Indian authorities on August 1.
Investigators further discovered that the accused had also demanded ₹10 crore from Zeeshan Siddiqui, son of the late former MLA Baba Siddiqui. During interrogation, one of the arrested suspects reportedly admitted to contacting Rinku Singh’s team for ransom.
Rinku, who hails from Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, rose to national prominence after his five consecutive sixes in an IPL 2023 match against Gujarat Titans. He made his India debut in 2024 and played a decisive role in the 2025 Asia Cup final against Pakistan, hitting the winning runs that secured India’s ninth title.
The left-handed batter, currently representing Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), has played 54 T20Is for India, amassing 550 runs at a strike rate of 161.77. In the IPL, he has appeared in 58 matches, scoring 1,099 runs, and was part of KKR’s 2024 title-winning squad.
Recently engaged to MP Priya Saroj, Rinku is expected to feature in India’s upcoming white-ball tour of Australia, which includes five T20 Internationals.
Police investigations into the underworld threat are ongoing.
