Dubai: Auspicious prayers held to mark topping out of new Hindu temple

Construction nears completion, trial opening scheduled for July – August.

Dhanusha Gokulan

Published: Sat 5 Feb 2022, 8:13 PM

Last updated: Sat 5 Feb 2022, 10:45 PM

A prayer service was held at the constriction site of Dubai’s newest Hindu temple in Jebel Ali to mark the construction top-up ceremony on Saturday.

Nine brass Kalash spires will soon soar over the Hindu temple as preparations for its opening picks up speed. Kalash is a metal or stone spire used to top the domes of Hindu temples.

The spires were specially imported from India. “There will be nine kalashas that will be part of the puja. The tallest kalash is 1.8 metres high and weighs about 120 kg. The remaining eight are each about 1.2 metres high and weigh about 90 kg,” Raju Shroff, one of the trustees of the Gurudarbar Sindhi Temple told Khaleej Times.

“Each kalash is dedicated to a deity who will be placed inside the temple. The biggest kalash is dedicated to Hindu deity Lord Shiva,” he added.

The event was attended by trustees and special guests of the temple. “We only had about 100 people in attendance as strict Covid-19 safety measures were followed,” he explained.

Construction of the temple is almost nearing completion, said Shroff. “We are ahead of schedule and are expected to complete in four months. From July-August, we would have a trial operation phase to put in place strict safety protocols,” he said.

The official opening is scheduled for Dussehra 2022. “Today (Saturday, February 5) is considered an auspicious day. As per Hindu beliefs, this special puja (prayer service) was done to bring spiritual energy into the temple building. Until now, it was just a construction site, now, however, it is officially a place of spirituality,” he added.

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As the temple has reached its final phase of construction, several individuals and groups are now volunteering their time ahead of the final opening. “What we are doing now is making the calendar of events, building the community room, knowledge room, etc. Volunteers can come and give their time and help the community,” he added.

The new temple has been constructed adjacent to the Guru Nanak Darbar in Jebel Ali, making the locality a multi-religious corridor in Dubai. The temple will be home to 11 Hindu deities, catering to the religious beliefs of Hindu communities belonging to all parts of India.

dhanusha@khaleejtimes.com