Abu Dhabi: BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi is decked with traditional oil lamps and candles to celebrate the Indian festival of lights Diwali, for the first time since it opened in February.
Inside the temple, the floors are adorned with traditional rangoli designs made with coloured powder, believed to bring luck and positivity. Visitors to the temple during Diwali will be given a special prasad – food prepared for devotees after they offer their prayers, said Pranav Desai, director of BAPS Hindu Mandir. “On a regular day, visitors get khichdi as prasad, but today, they will get a sweet called ladudi (made with gram flour).”
Over the weekend, the temple will also celebrate Annakut, the festival of food, to “mark the new year as per the Hindu calendar”, Desai said, with hundreds of volunteers from different communities expected to help with the preparations. “In Annakut, we will be offering thousands of vegetarian dishes divided into smaller boxes and given to visitors as well as blue-collar workers staying in the area.”
Deep Ajmani, who is holidaying in the UAE from the US state of Kentucky, said visiting the temple “took us back to our roots in India”. Dubai resident Shruti Gupta chose Diwali to visit the temple for the first time, calling it “the best day”.
The Hindu temple in Dubai’s Jebel Ali is also gearing up to welcome about 20,000 people every day over the Diwali weekend. “We have heightened security, more traffic management arrangements and volunteers,” said Raju Shroff, trustee of the Hindu temple that was constructed two years ago.
“There will be pujas [prayers] starting from 6 am. This is a great celebration of a festival where people will start their new year with blessings.” N Mohan, the temple’s general manager, said the site had drawn more than 2.5 million visits since it opened in August 2022.
Workshops that taught children to make diyas or earthen tea lights and colourful paper Diwali decorations were organised by volunteers. “People feel the energy when they enter the temple and it is a place they also find peace,” he said.
“When they pray here for Diwali it is also a time to give thanks for blessings they have received when they overcome personal challenges whether in their jobs or with their family.”
The UAE’s multicultural setting adds an extra element for those celebrating Diwali, which symbolises the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness.
Meanwhile, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, wished for “joy, peace and safety” to those celebrating in the UAE and around the world. “Let the light in your hearts guide you toward harmony, compassion, and shared understanding. Happy Diwali!”
