Honorable Dr. S. Jaishankar, India Minister of External Affairs visited the BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi with an esteemed delegation of senior officials from the Indian Embassy in the UAE, including Ambassador H.E. Sanjay Sudhir.
Brahmaviharidas Swami traditionally welcomed Dr. S. Jaishankar with a garland, tied a nadachhadi, and applied a chandlo at the Harmony Wall. Despite the summer’s scorching sun, Dr. Jaishankar happily walked throughout the mandir campus.
The guests ascended to the Prayer Dune, which symbolizes Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s historic prayer from 1997, representing the origin of the mandir. During their tour, the delegation were informed about the daily distribution of 'Swaminarayan Khichdi' prasadam to visitors, the 6,500-year-old sub-fossil oaks from the Czech Republic and various other features of the mandir.
Proceeding towards the mandir, the guests experienced the astonishing temperature difference between the special nano tiles used on the pathway to the mandir and regular tiles. At The Orchard food court, when Dr. S. Jaishankar was told that the furniture has been constructed from repurposed wooden pallets in which the mandir’s stones had been transported, he was delighted and commented, "Many organizations will be inspired by your eco-friendly efforts."
At the entrance of the mandir, Dr. S. Jaishankar met members of the Indian diaspora. Inside the mandir, he offered prayers to the deities, and met and appreciated the team of swamis responsible for overseeing the mandir’s facilities, and the volunteers who helped to make and are running the mandir. He also closely admired the skillful artistry of the intricately carved value tales on the mandir’s façade.
After the tour, Dr. S Jaishankar expressed, "Every time I meet you or visit the mandir, I feel positively energized to do good." He offered congratulations on the mandir having welcomed one million visitors in the first hundred days and emphasized its importance as a visible symbol of India-UAE friendship in social media platforms, stating, "It radiates a positive message to the world and serves as a true cultural bridge between our two countries."