BAPS Hindu Mandir, Abu Dhabi
The first traditional Hindu mandir in Abu Dhabi and the largest in West Asia, inaugurated on 14 February 2024 on 27 acres granted by the Crown Prince. It is open Tuesday to Sunday, 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM, and closed on Mondays. Two things decide whether you get in: the closed day, which is not the one most visitors assume, and registration, which is mandatory. Unregistered visitors are denied entry.
Photo: BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, CC BY-SA 4.0
BAPS Abu Dhabi opening hours in short
One standing window, one weekly closure, one aarti that doubles at weekends, and a registration step before any of it.
History of BAPS Hindu Mandir Abu Dhabi
The idea is traced to the evening of 5 April 1997, when Pramukh Swami Maharaj, then leader of BAPS, visited a desert in Sharjah and said that a mandir in Abu Dhabi would bring countries, cultures and religions closer together. In August 2015 Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, gifted 27 acres at Abu Mureikhah: half for the mandir and half for parking.
The first stone was consecrated on 11 February 2018 in the presence of India's Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, and the foundation stone ceremony followed on 20 April 2019. Construction began in December 2019. More than 2,000 artisans carved the stone in Rajasthan, and over 25,000 pieces, from under a kilogram to more than six tonnes, were assembled without structural steel according to the traditional shilpa shastras. Fly ash in the concrete reduced the cement needed by 55 per cent.
Mahant Swami Maharaj performed the Vedic consecration on 14 February 2024, during a 12-day Festival of Harmony, and Modi dedicated the mandir to the public the same day. It opened to general visitors on Friday 1 March 2024. More than 65,000 people came on Sunday 3 March, and the mandir introduced pre-registration with date and time slots. It reported more than 2.2 million visitors in its first year.
- Opened to the public
- 1 March 2024
- Spires
- 7 shikhars, one for each emirate
- Stone
- Rajasthani sandstone, Italian marble
- Structure
- Built without structural steel
- Shrines
- 7, including Ayyappan and Jagannath
- First-year visitors
- Over 2.2 million
Why the Abu Dhabi mandir matters to Hindus
The mandir has seven shikhars, symbolising the seven emirates, and seven shrines. The principal shrine holds Bhagwan Swaminarayan and Gunatitanand Swami. The others hold Radha and Krishna; Rama, Sita, Lakshmana and Hanuman; Shiva, Parvati, Ganesha and Kartikeya; Venkateshwara and Padmavati, in black granite crafted by Tirupati temple artisans; Jagannath, Subhadra and Balabhadra; and Ayyappan, in five-metal panchaloha, with a replica of the 18 holy steps of Sabarimala.
It is also presented as a monument to interfaith harmony. The land was donated by a Muslim ruler, the lead architect is Catholic, the construction manager Sikh, the foundation designer Buddhist and the mandir director Jain. Its carvings set stories from the Ramayana, Mahabharata, Bhagavatam and Shiva Purana alongside 14 depictions from Arabian, Egyptian and Mesopotamian traditions and UAE wildlife such as camels, oryxes and falcons, and its Dome of Harmony represents the five natural elements of earth, water, fire, air and space.
More facts about BAPS Abu Dhabi
- Where
- Abu Mureikhah, near Al Rahba off the Dubai to Abu Dhabi Sheikh Zayed Highway, United Arab Emirates
- Inaugurated
- 14 February 2024, consecrated by Mahant Swami Maharaj
- Land
- 27 acres donated in 2015 by Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi
- Significance
- The first traditional Hindu mandir in Abu Dhabi and the largest Hindu mandir in West Asia
- Stone
- Pink sandstone from Rajasthan outside, Aqua Bianca Italian marble inside
- Structure
- Seven shikhars, two ghumats and twelve samrans
- Dimensions
- 108 feet high, 262 feet long and 180 feet wide, on 27 acres
- Also known as
- BAPS Hindu Mandir Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi Hindu Temple, Abu Dhabi Mandir, BAPS Mandir Abu Dhabi
Entry rules at BAPS Abu Dhabi
The entry conditions here are stricter than at most mandirs and are published clearly, so there is no reason to be caught out by them.
Registration
Registration is mandatory and unregistered visitors will be denied entry.
Identification
Visitors must present a physical government-issued ID, an Emirates ID or passport.
When to book
A visit booking must be made only after arriving in the UAE.
Closed day
Mondays.
BAPS Abu Dhabi dress code
Published on the mandir's own visit page, quoted closely. Security staff apply it at the entrance.
- Shorts, skirts above the knee and sleeveless shirts are not allowed.
- Tight-fitting or transparent clothing is not permitted.
- Garments and accessories that are excessively shiny or produce distracting noises should be avoided.
- Headwear and garments with provocative designs, explicit political statements or images are prohibited.
- Visitors whose attire does not follow these guidelines, or is deemed inappropriate by security staff, will be denied entry. Sarongs are available at a cost at the front desk.
How to reach BAPS Hindu Mandir Abu Dhabi
By road
The mandir gives its address as P6 Al Taf Road (E16), Abu Dhabi, reached from exit 366 on Sheikh Maktoum Bin Rashid Road (E11), the highway between Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
By road
Without a car, a weekend bus service runs from Abu Dhabi city centre to the mandir at Abu Mureikha, introduced after the mandir opened.
Best time to visit BAPS Hindu Mandir Abu Dhabi
Any day from Tuesday to Sunday between 9:00 AM and 8:00 PM; the mandir is closed on Mondays. Because the hours run without a midday break, the main choice is whether to include Ganga Aarti. It is held at 7:30 PM on weekdays, and at weekends and on holidays there is an additional one at 6:45 PM, so an afternoon visit that runs into the early evening catches it before the 8:00 PM close.
Weekends draw the largest crowds: more than 65,000 people came on the first Sunday after the mandir opened to the public, which led to pre-registration by date and time slot. The weekend is also the only time the bus from Abu Dhabi city centre runs. Whichever day you choose, the booking must be made after you have arrived in the UAE.
Tips before you go
- Register before you go, because unregistered visitors are denied entry and every visitor must pre-book individually.
- Carry a physical Emirates ID or passport, which is checked against the details on your entry pass.
- Do not wear shorts, skirts above the knee, sleeveless tops, or tight-fitting or transparent clothing.
- Leave food, drinks including water, fruit and flowers behind, as none are permitted.
- Photograph on a mobile phone for personal use only; professional cameras, video cameras and selfie sticks are not allowed.
- If your clothing does not meet the code, sarongs are available at a cost at the front desk.
Not verified yet 5 items no official source publishes
- Whether entry is free, and whether any part of the site is ticketed.
- Which days count as holidays for the purpose of the second Ganga Aarti.
- Whether registration slots run out at peak periods, and how far ahead they can be made.
- Bag size limits, which the mandir's list of prohibited items does not set out.
- Whether prasad is offered, and where.
Know one of these from an official notice? Send it to us and the page is updated with a new date.
Questions about visiting
Answered from what the temple publishes, with the gaps left as gaps.
What are the BAPS Abu Dhabi mandir timings?
Open Tuesday to Sunday, 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM. Mondays are closed. The mandir publishes these as standing hours without a midday break.
Which day is it closed?
Monday. This catches people out, because visitors used to the Gulf often assume a Friday closure. The mandir is open on Fridays and closed on Mondays.
Do I need to book before visiting?
Yes. The mandir states that registration is mandatory and that unregistered visitors will be denied entry. It is not a recommendation and it is not arranged at the gate.
When can I make the booking?
The mandir states that a visit booking must be made only after arriving in the UAE. Booking from abroad before you travel is explicitly not the process.
What ID do I need?
A physical government-issued ID, meaning an Emirates ID or a passport. A photograph or a digital copy is not what the mandir asks for.
When is Ganga Aarti?
7:30 PM on weekdays. On weekends and holidays there are two, at 6:45 PM and 7:30 PM. Which days count as holidays has not been verified here.
Is there a dress code?
Yes. The mandir's visit page says shorts, skirts above the knee and sleeveless shirts are not allowed, nor is tight-fitting or transparent clothing, and visitors whose attire is deemed inappropriate by security staff will be denied entry. Sarongs are available at a cost at the front desk.
Is entry free?
Not verified. The mandir publishes the registration requirement without stating a price on the page this site reads, so the answer should come from the mandir.
Where exactly is the mandir?
At Abu Mureikhah, near Al Rahba, off the Dubai to Abu Dhabi Sheikh Zayed Highway. It stands on 27 acres donated in 2015 by Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
When did it open?
It was inaugurated on 14 February 2024, consecrated by Mahant Swami Maharaj. Anything written about the site before 2024 describes a construction project rather than a mandir.
How big is it?
108 feet high, 262 feet long and 180 feet wide, with seven shikhars, two ghumats and twelve samrans, in pink Rajasthani sandstone outside and Aqua Bianca Italian marble inside.
Can I rely on these hours?
They are the mandir's own published hours, which is the best source available. Confirm at the point of registration anyway, since that step is compulsory and gives you a chance to check.
Need the opening hours in full?
The opening hours page carries the whole published schedule, block by block, and what to check before you travel.