Ornate Hindu temple opens its doors in Islamic UAE

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The United Arab Emirates’ first purpose-built Hindu temple opened in Dubai on Tuesday, providing a place of worship and a support network for the large Indian community, including migrant laborers.

This large white marble building with Indian and Emirati architecture is located in the officially Islamic country’s Jebel Ali Port area, which is also home to churches and Sikh temples.

Thousands of South Asian workers, who live in nearby labor camps, will be given special buses that will allow them to visit the 2,300-square-meter (25,000-square-foot) temple and its community center.

Raju Shroff, a member of the committee that runs the textile business, said the opening of a dedicated temple in Dubai was a five-year-old dream of his father.

“It’s a fantastic feeling because it’s a dream come true, at least for my father, who has been in this country since 1960,” he told AFP.

“I was only involved in this project five years ago, but he’s been on it for five years. So it’s been quite a (long) journey,” Shroff added.

The temple’s central skylight, decorated with a unique lotus pattern, cost about 60 million dirhams ($16 million) to build and can accommodate 1,000 people at a time.

Due to the expected high demand, tourists must apply for a QR code online and scan it to enter. Indians are the largest expat community in the UAE, making up about 35% of the population of 10 million.

In addition to being a temple for all different forms of Hinduism, it will also serve as a support center for the Indian diaspora, especially laborers, with specialists such as lawyers and doctors.

When workers face hardship or special requests, “they can reach out to us, and we’ll reach out to the entire community,” Shroff said.

He added: “There are a lot of workers here who need our help. There are a lot of professionals willing to help, so we’ve really become a platform… to bridge the gap.”

The UAE government has vigorously promoted “tolerance” for different religious views, appointed a Minister of State for Tolerance, held an annual Tolerance Festival, and declared 2019 the Year of Tolerance.