The BAPS Hindu Mandir marked its second anniversary on February 14, drawing more than 8,000 devotees and over 1,500 participants to a special “Mandir Talks at 2” assembly in the UAE capital. Held under the theme “Mandir: Our Family, Our Future”, the event brought together community leaders, diplomats, families and children to reflect on the temple’s role in promoting peace, values and harmony in the country. Organisers said the mandir has welcomed four million visitors from more than 100 countries in just two years. The event honoured Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, for his support of cultural coexistence. In his address, he said, “This splendid temple stands not only as a place of worship, but as a powerful symbol of shared human values.” Highlighting bilateral ties, he added, “This remarkable temple is also a powerful symbol of the deep and enduring friendship between India and the United Arab Emirates. It stands as a bridge between us, strengthening mutual understanding and deepening goodwill between our two nations.” He concluded, “May this Mandir continue to be a source of spiritual strength, moral guidance, and community upliftment for many generations to come.”
The “Mandir Talks” programme featured segments reflecting on the temple’s global, community and familial impact. Deepak Mittal, Indian Ambassador to the UAE, described the mandir as a place of gratitude for the Indian community and a symbol of friendship between India and the UAE. Patricio Broughton, Ambassador of Chile to the UAE, said it reflected universal values that strengthen social cohesion, while Udaya Indrarathna, former Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the UAE, called it a cultural bridge shaped by friendship as much as architecture.
Interactive segments highlighted how families experience the mandir as a welcoming space for worship, celebration and service. Community leaders noted its role as a unifying hub where diverse groups gather to celebrate festivals, preserve heritage and strengthen social bonds. Swami Brahmavihari Das compared the evolution of the Mandir to that of a newborn child. He explained that while a baby begins to walk at one, it only starts to speak at two. In the same way, he said, the Mandir has moved beyond its first steps and is now expressing its message more widely, chanting “harmony” in multiple languages. “By the third year, at the age of three, the Mandir will set you free,” he remarked.He added that the Mandir has conveyed one clear message to the four million visitors it has welcomed in just two years , devotees, dignitaries, tourists, ambassadors and diplomats from more than 100 countries , and that message has consistently been one of harmony. The anniversary event reaffirmed the mandir’s growing role as a symbol of harmony and coexistence in the UAE, as it enters its third year of service.
