(MOREPIC1) Raj Sadosh/Abohar.
More than 8,000 devotees and over 1,500 participants assembled to celebrate the 2nd anniversary of the BAPS Mandir in Abu Dhabi.
The evening opened with kirtan bhakti by BAPS volunteers and community members. Welcoming all on behalf of Mahant Swami Ji Maharaj, Swami Brahmaviharidas compared the evolution of the Mandir to that of a new born child. He said that a baby begins to walk at one and but only begins to speak at two, “To the four million visitors it has welcomed in just two years – devotees, dignitaries, tourists, ambassadors and diplomats – from more than one hundred countries, its message has consistently been one of harmony.
Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan said, “We are immensely proud of His Highness’s leadership, which calls on all people of every faith, culture, and background to look beyond our differences and recognize the fundamental unity of humankind.”
Dr. Deepak Mittal, Ambassador of India to the UAE and Patricio Broughton, Ambassador of Chile to the UAE, described the Mandir as a reflection of universal values, where respect and responsibility across faiths strengthen social cohesion and human fraternity.
Udaya Indrarathna, former Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the UAE, spoke of the Mandir as a cultural bridge, shaped as much by friendship as by architecture. In ‘Mandir Talks to the Families’, a beautifully curated interactive audio-visual conversation captured and showcased how the Mandir has become a space that feels like another home, bringing families closer together. Children led the audience in four collective pledges for Self-Positivity, Family Values, National Harmony and Environmental Responsibility, symbolizing the Mandir’s mission to inspire individuals, unite communities, and cultivate a better world for future generations.
