Just weeks after the grand inauguration of the Ram temple in Uttar Pradesh's Ayodhya, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to inaugurate the BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi on February 14. A day earlier, the PM will address the Indian diaspora at the Sheikh Zayed Sports Stadium in Abu Dhabi in which nearly 50,000 people are expected to attend. This event, called "Ahlan Modi (Hello Modi)", has been billed as the "largest community reception to the Indian Prime Minister" overseas. PM Modi accepted the invitation to inaugurate the temple in December 2023. According to a press release, Pujya Swami Ishwarcharandas, a senior swami of the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, presented the official invitation to Modi. HH Mahant Swami Maharaj addressed the invitation for the PM with these words: “Pramukh Swami na Priya Putra Modi Saheb" (The most beloved son of Pramukh Swami, Modiji). What is BAPS? BAPS stands for the Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha. According to its website, it is a "socio-spiritual Hindu faith with its roots in the vedas" which was pioneered by Bhagwan Swaminarayan (1781-1830) in the late 18th century and established in 1907 by Shastriji Maharaj (1865-1951). The BAPS claims to run over 3,850 centres across the world, including in places such as New Jersey and Los Angeles, and 1,100 mandirs or temples, its website states. What is the BAPS Hindu Mandir? The BAPS Hindu Mandir was conceptualised just a year after PM Modi assumed power as the Indian Prime Minister. It is the first temple in the Emirati capital, following Modi's push for the same. As part of PM Modi's two-day visit to the Gulf nation in 2015, the UAE decided to allot land for building a temple in Abu Dhabi. This visit was crucial diplomatically as Modi became the first Indian Prime Minister after Indira Gandhi to visit this strategic Gulf nation in 34 years. Modi had thanked the UAE leadership on behalf of 125 crore Indians for the construction of the temple for this “landmark” decision. He inaugurated the project for the temple in February 2018. Inaugurating the project via video conference, PM Modi said, “I believe this temple will not be only unique in terms of architecture and splendour, but will also give a message of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ to people across the world.” The temple, covering about 55,000 square metres of land, will be hand-carved by Indian temple artisans and assembled in the UAE. According to a BAPS spokesperson, "it will also be the first traditional Hindu stone temple in the Middle East." Individuals, supporters and volunteers, involved in the BAPS Hindu Mandir project include Chairman Ashok Kotecha, Vice Chairman Yogesh Mehta and Director Chirag Patel.
