During his two-day visit to the United Arab Emirates, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) Mandir, the first-ever Hindu temple in the UAE. The temple stands as a monumental achievement for the Hindu community in Abu Dhabi. Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah fame Dilip Joshi paid a visit to the BAPS Temple on February 14th on its big inauguration day.
Dilip Joshi on BAPS temple
Hearing about the inauguration of Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha temple, Dilip Joshi expressed his delight. Talking about the grand event to ANI, the actor expressed his amazement at the beautiful construction of the temple. He talked about being present there when Prime Minister Modi laid the foundation stone.
Thanking the Ruler of Dubai, Dilip Joshi mentioned how he wholeheartedly provided land and permission to construct the temple. An elated Dilip Joshi also highlighted the significance of the temple and wished the world to get a message of peace and harmony. He told ANI, "I pray that the message of harmony is spread across the world from this temple..." 
Other celebs who visit the BAPS temple
Many other celebrities joined Dilip Joshi at the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha temple to pay a visit. Bollywood actors like Akshay Kumar and Vivek Oberoi joined the inauguration ceremony of Abu Dhabi's first Hindu stone temple. Besides them, acclaimed singer and composer Shankar Mahadevan was also present at the iconic event.
About BAPS Hindu temple consecration ceremony
Before commencing the proceedings, Prime Minister Modi offered water in the virtual Ganga and Yamuna rivers in the temple premises and then offered prayers. During the inauguration ceremony, Senior Abu Dhabi officials marked their presence. The guest list also included Indian government officials and prominent Bollywood stars, amongst others.
The Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi sits on a 27-acre plot and is made from pink sandstone brought from Rajasthan. Over 5000 skilled artisans have carefully carved the pink sandstone. The capacity of the main prayer hall constructed inside the temple is around 3000. Interestingly, it is one of the iconic architectural creations in the Middle East.
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