Inspired by Arab architecture...take a look at the Hindu temple that Dubai will soon host

Dubai, United Arab Emirates - In 2022, the UAE city of Dubai will host a Hindu temple that blends contemporary architecture, Hindu and Arabic elements. This majestic temple will be built specifically in the Jebel Ali area, and it is hoped that it will provide a place of worship for followers of the Hindu religion who live in the UAE, according to a statement.

The temple is scheduled to be completed by the Hindu festival of lights, Diwali, in 2022. The temple's trustees chose to rely on an Arabic-inspired design to express gratitude for the religious freedom that all religions enjoy in the UAE, according to the statement.

Contemporary, Hindu, and Arab architectural elements. This temple faces east, and is designed according to the standards of Indian temple architecture and the Hindu Vastu Shastra system. When looking at the imaginative design of the structure, one will see that it will be decorated with mashrabiyas inspired by traditional Arab architecture.

This element aims to provide shading, as well as aesthetic details for the building's facade. In addition, the temple design addressed the details and decorations of traditional temples in a contemporary manner to suit the context in which it was built.

The columns on the facade and inside of the temple, for example, were inspired by the traditional columns of the Somnath Temple in Gujarat, India. The temple will occupy an area of ​​25,000 square feet of land (about 2,322 square meters), while its built-up area will be 75,000 square feet (about 7,000 square meters).

The temple will include two basements, in addition to a ground floor and a first floor. The height of the temple is 18 metres, and its total height will reach 24 meters with the Shikhar dome.

A prominent structural feature of the temple is the octagonal opening in the ceiling of the prayer hall, which allows natural light, a view of the shikhar dome, and the sky. In addition to the prayer hall that can accommodate 1,500 people, the temple also includes a contemporary lobby, a banquet hall that can accommodate approximately 750 people, and a multi-use room. There is also a balcony designated for ceremonies that require fires, and the ceremonies can be performed safely in the open air.

Over the past years, the UAE has witnessed initiatives in the field of promoting the values ​​of tolerance. In 2019, the country announced plans to build an edifice that brings together the three main monotheistic religions, namely Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, which is the home of the Abrahamic family. It also received the Pope of the Vatican, Pope Francis, in the same year to preside over the first papal mass, at the Zayed Sports City Stadium in the capital, Abu Dhabi.

In addition, the country witnessed the laying of the foundation stone for the first Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi in 2019 as well.