During the holy monsoon month of Shravan, mandirs around the world are adorned with beautifully decorated swings or 'hindola', on which murtis of God are placed. Devotees gently sway the swings, perform prostrations, sing bhajans and offer their devotion through other rituals to the divine.
Continuing this 5,000-year-old tradition, the BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi celebrated the Hindola Mahotsav. Women devotees of the BAPS handcrafted four unique hindola, each reflecting the cultural and traditional values of both India and the UAE.
These hindola were themed: Holy Footprints of Bhagwan Swaminarayan, A Lotus in the Desert, Mosaic Art of National Wildlife, and Festival of Rakshabandhan. The women also created approximately 4,000 handwoven rakhis for the Festival of Rakshabandhan hindolo. These rakhis were later tied to all who visited the mandir on the day of Rakshabandhan.