New Delhi, December 28: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi. The inauguration ceremony is scheduled for February 14, 2024. The BAPS on Thursday, December 28, released a statement and said PM Narendra Modi has accepted invitation to inaugurate the BAPS Hindu Mandir. The organization also shared a photo of PM Modi receiving the invitation.
Swami Ishwarcharandas and Swami Brahmaviharidas, along with others, met PM Modi at his residential office at 7 Lok Kalyan Marg in Delhi and extended the invitation to him. "Delighted by this gesture, Prime Minister Modi graciously accepted the invitation, expressing his enthusiastic support for the historic and iconic temple," the BAPS said in its statement.
What happened during the meeting
Swami Ishwarcharandas honored PM Modi by adorning him with a garland and draping a saffron shawl over his shoulders. The representatives of the BAPS praised him for the "remarkable" renovation and development of pilgrimage sites across India.
Abu Dhabi temple's significance for global harmony and PM Modi's vision for India's spiritual leadership on the global stage were discussed during the meeting, which lasted for almost an hour, according to the BAPS.
Here's what PM Modi said
PM Modi shared his personal vision with the Swamis for greater spiritual growth and India’s emergence as a global leader. He also appreciated the efforts of key individuals, volunteers and supporters, involved in the BAPS Hindu Mandir project in Abu Dhabi.
"It (the inauguration of BAPS Hindu Mandir) will reflect the ideal of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam - an ideal spiritual space, not merely rooted in beliefs and traditions, but a confluence of diverse cultures and civilizations. The essence of spiritual harmony, symbolizing the path forward," PM Modi was quoted as saying by the BAPS.