The UAE's inaugural stone Hindu temple welcomed approximately 65,000 pilgrims on its first Sunday open to the public. Following its inauguration by Mahant Swami Maharaj in the presence of Prime Minister Narndra Modi, the BAPS Hindu Mandir saw approximately 40,000 visitors in the morning and another 25,000 in the evening, totaling 65,000 by day's end.
Appreciating the crowd management, Sumant Rai, one of the visitors said, "Never have I seen such amazing order in the midst of thousands of people. I was worried I would have to wait for hours and not be able to do darshan peacefully, but we had amazing darshan and were extremely satisfied. Hats off to all the BAPS volunteers and mandir staff," he added.
Highlighting the architecture of the temple, Louis from Mexico said, "The architecture and intricate details in the stones are amazing. I really appreciate getting to see the cultural heritage of India. People, come join!" Pointing out the diplomatic significance of the temple, US-based Piyush said, "The opening of this Mandir is a testament to the UAE's commitment to diversity and inclusion. It's a beautiful representation of unity among different communities."
To celebrate the weekend visits to the Mandir, the UAE government introduced a new bus route (203) from Abu Dhabi. Inaugurated in the presence of PM Modi on February 14, the Abu Dhabi-based temple saw the presence of UAE's Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahyan.
