Dubai is home to residents from across the globe who belong to diverse religions & culture. The main reason behind Dubai being one of the most favourable locations among expats is the diverse culture and the respect that Dubai offers to everyone irrespective of their religion, caste, and creed. For the unversed, Dubai is also home to a stunning Hindu temple, Jebel Ali Temple, located in Dubai’s Jebel Ali Worship Village.
Situated amidst the serene landscapes of Dubai, this sacred place is a testament to the rich cultural diversity and heritage of Dubai. Dubai is an Islamic Country as the world knows, indeed it values religion from across the world featuring a decent number of temples, churches, and Gurudwaras. Among all these sacred places, one of the most attention-grabbing Hindu Temple Dubai, Jebel Ali is attracting everyone from visitors to residents. Let us explore more about this temple and its importance to Dubai’s Hindu Community.
Jebel Ali Temple – An Overview
Jebel Ali Temple in Dubai stands out as the first large-scale temple in the region featuring unique amenities, marvelous architecture, and sixteen Hindu deities carving a special place in people’s hearts. The temple was inaugurated on 5th October, 2022 the auspicious day of Dusshera. The temple stands tall since its inception as a masterpiece of excellence, a perfect blend of modernity and tradition adorned with vibrant colors.
Looking at history, Dubai’s first Hindu Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva and Lord Krishna, was built over 60 years ago in the historical district of Bur Dubai. However, Jebel Ali Hindu Temple is the first independent temple for Hindus as the Bur Dubai temples are permanently closed. Sixteen deities in this temple include Lord Shiva, Lord Ganesha, Shri Krishna, Mahalakshmi, and Ayyapan that are the perfect epitome of timeless beauty meticulously carved out of special stones in Jaipur, Kanyakumari, and Madhurai in India. Ample number of facilities like LCD Screens, and prayer halls are available for the devotees.
Who built the sacred New Hindu Temple in Dubai?
The new Hindu Temple was built in Dubai amidst the dream and sheer determination of businessman Vasu Shroff, who landed in Dubai when he was 20 years old. Owing to his dream of building a Hindu temple in Dubai, he put all his efforts into taking permission from the Dubai government for the land. The baton was later passed to his son and the Indian family later successfully established the Hindu Temple with the community’s support.
Architecture and Facilities at Hindu Temple Dubai, Jebel Ali
The perfect amalgamation of traditional and contemporary architecture makes Jebel Ali Temple one of the most sought-after tranquil places for the nearby residents. Especially for Indians, it is one of the best places to visit in UAE, featuring a gorgeous 3-D printed pink lotus that dominates the main prayer hall with intricate marble pillars that are beautifully decorated with hand carved elephants beautified by bells and flowers. Check out some of the other world-class features:
• Community and Knowledge area surrounded by LCD Screens
• Use of special black stones to create deities’ sculptures
• Lord Shiva is the main deity along with the other 15 deities
• A dedicated section for Sri Guru Granth Sahib with a Holy Book of Sikhs where Sikh people from the nearby community of Downtown Dubai (a community which is among one of the most popular and celebrated communities of Dubai) can offer prayer
• Eight priests have been appointed as full-time priests to work and are available at Prayer time at Hindu Jebel Ali Temple
• Facilities of both online and physical prayers are available for devotees
• Online and In-person classes for Vedic teachings
• The Presence of the holy book of Sikhs, Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji adds more feathers to the cap of this auspicious temple
Jebel Ali Temple Timings
Jebel Ali Temple is the first independent temple for Hindus and is surrounded by some of the most celebrated communities of Dubai including Sheikh Zayed Road which is an established home to a large number of Indians. The temple is open to the general public from 6 am to 8 pm every day. Devotees can visit during the above-mentioned Jebel Ali Temple Timings. Evenings and weekends expect long queues and a huge rush of people.
As per the rules established earlier devotees needed to register themselves online however, these rules have been relaxed and devotees can visit the temple directly to offer their prayers and immerse themselves in a devotional experience.
How to Reach the Temple?
Visitors are advised to use public transport to avoid parking hassle, following are the possible commute options available to visit the temple:
• Metro Route: Take the M1 metro and step off at the Ibn Battuta or Energy Metro station. From there you can take the feeder bus F44 to reach the Hindu Temple
• Car: Take help of Google Maps to reach your destination, simply set up the Hindu Temple, Dubai and leave the rest to Google Maps. It will help you reach the temple using the best route.
Festivals and Celebrations at Jebel Ali Temple
At the Hindu Temple at Dubai, Jebel Ali comes up with several festivals that give devotees a sense of satisfaction and a home away from home. The temple is popular among Indian expats during the festival of Diwali, Holi, Navratri, and other joyous occasions. Collectively these occasions create an atmosphere of joy, unity in diversity, and devotion.
To Wrap Up
A place that is meant for visitors is incomplete without proper decoration, lit-up interior, flowers, and so on but however, Jebel Ali Temple stands tall in all these categories. The temple in Dubai is a perfect amalgamation of history, culture, and religion. From the wide prayer space to the facilities this temple is perfect for everyone who wishes to have a peaceful time. To explore more such places in Dubai, visit HJ Real Estates and get detailed information and guidance before you apply for the UAE Golden Visa.
