BAPS Hindu Mandir Abu Dhabi

Inaugurated in February 2024, the BAPS Hindu Mandir is the first traditional stone Hindu temple in the Middle East. Its pink Rajasthani sandstone and white Italian marble were carved by artisans in India and assembled on site without steel, and its seven spires represent the seven emirates of the UAE.

The carvings tell stories from the Ramayana, the Mahabharata and the Puranas, alongside motifs from Arabian and other ancient cultures. An exhibition and landscaped grounds complete the complex, so it is easy to spend a calm couple of hours here.

Visitors register online in advance, which we do for you, and the mandir is closed to visitors on Mondays. Shoulders and knees must be covered. It lies just off the Dubai–Abu Dhabi highway, so we often fit it in on the way to or from the Grand Mosque.