Bollywood star Akshay Kumar has hailed Abu Dhabi's landmark Hindu temple as a beacon of “peace, love and support” during a visit to the under-construction site.
The popular Indian actor took part in a prayer service at the striking place of worship, which is due to open next February.
He is one of more than 40,0000 people drawn from different nations and faiths who have gathered in recent months to pray over and bless bricks at the temple site in Abu Dhabi’s Abu Mureikha area.
These bricks are then used in the construction of the country’s first traditional, hand-carved Hindu temple.
“You are creating history,” he told the priests and volunteers who took him around the site on Saturday.
It’s a dream of dreams
Akshay Kumar,
Bollywood actor, about the Hindu temple project in Abu Dhabi
“What you are creating is not just a service to our community, but to mankind,” he said in a statement released by the Baps Swaminarayan Sanstha, the organisation building the temple.
“Creating a new world where there is peace, love, and support from one human to another, there truly is nothing more powerful than that.”
It has taken years of meticulous research, engineering and artistry to pull together a project that will bring to life ancient Indian scriptures.
The temple aims to be a symbol of harmony and tolerance as it welcomes people of all cultures and religions.
A dream project
Kumar’s planned 40-minute visit lasted for two hours as he listened to the plans for the temple and saw the marble and stone pillars that have been installed.
“It’s a dream of dreams,” he said about the building work being completed by thousands of sculptors and artisans from India’s Rajasthan and Gujarat states.
He offered flowers during the ceremony as Swami Brahmavihari, head of international relations for Baps Swaminarayan Sanstha, gave details of the mammoth project that would welcome people of all religions and faiths.
Officials and volunteers explained how pink sandstone sculptures of Hindu deities carved in India’s Rajasthan state were transported to the UAE.
Each unit is assigned a unique number and fitted on the site without using steel reinforcements in keeping with construction in ancient temples in India.
The actor, known for roles in Hindi-language action movies, also watched a video presentation that plotted the journey of the temple from conception to the current stage.
Tales from ancient civilisations
The UAE government granted land for the temple in 2015 during the first visit of Narendra Modi, India’s Prime Minister, when the plans were announced.
On a site off the main Dubai-Abu Dhabi motorway, the temple complex will comprise a community centre, exhibition hall, visitor centre, parks, an amphitheatre and water features.
The temple complex will hold about 2,000 worshippers, with organisers gearing up to welcome 40,000 people a day during religious festivals.
Spread across 5.4 hectares, the land was given to the Indian community by President Sheikh Mohamed when he was Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
The site is also being prepared for parking for cars, buses and two helipads.
Swami Brahmavihari took Mr Kumar and his team to a section where sculptures that told stories of tolerance and peace from other ancient civilisations in the Arab world and from Africa were being prepared.
“Fourteen international tales from ancient civilisations will be carved — a unique feature not found in any other mandir around the world,” the temple authorities said.
The two-storey structure will be topped by seven shikhars, or spires, placed above the stone murals.
They represent the seven emirates of the UAE.
A contemporary Hindu temple that blends Indian and Arabic designs was opened in Dubai’s Jebel Ali area in October, in an area that is home to six Christian churches and a Sikh gurdwara.
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Nepotism is the name of the game
Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan, is one of Bollywood’s most legendary screenwriters. Through his partnership with co-writer Javed Akhtar, Salim is credited with having paved the path for the Indian film industry’s blockbuster format in the 1970s. Something his son now rules the roost of. More importantly, the Salim-Javed duo also created the persona of the “angry young man” for Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the 1970s, reflecting the angst of the average Indian. In choosing to be the ordinary man’s “hero” as opposed to a thespian in new Bollywood, Salman Khan remains tightly linked to his father’s oeuvre. Thanks dad.
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AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street
The seven points are:
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Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
Surianah's top five jazz artists
Billie Holliday: for the burn and also the way she told stories.
Thelonius Monk: for his earnestness.
Duke Ellington: for his edge and spirituality.
Louis Armstrong: his legacy is undeniable. He is considered as one of the most revolutionary and influential musicians.
Terence Blanchard: very political - a lot of jazz musicians are making protest music right now.
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
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1. Kylian Mbappe - to Real Madrid in 2017/18 - €180 million (Dh770.4m - if a deal goes through)
2. Paul Pogba - to Manchester United in 2016/17 - €105m
3. Gareth Bale - to Real Madrid in 2013/14 - €101m
4. Cristiano Ronaldo - to Real Madrid in 2009/10 - €94m
5. Gonzalo Higuain - to Juventus in 2016/17 - €90m
6. Neymar - to Barcelona in 2013/14 - €88.2m
7. Romelu Lukaku - to Manchester United in 2017/18 - €84.7m
8. Luis Suarez - to Barcelona in 2014/15 - €81.72m
9. Angel di Maria - to Manchester United in 2014/15 - €75m
10. James Rodriguez - to Real Madrid in 2014/15 - €75m
FA Cup semi-finals
Saturday: Manchester United v Tottenham Hotspur, 8.15pm (UAE)
Sunday: Chelsea v Southampton, 6pm (UAE)
Matches on Bein Sports
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Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana
Rating: 2/5
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Price, base / as tested Dh220,000 / Dh320,000
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If you go...
Etihad Airways flies from Abu Dhabi to Kuala Lumpur, from about Dh3,600. Air Asia currently flies from Kuala Lumpur to Terengganu, with Berjaya Hotels & Resorts planning to launch direct chartered flights to Redang Island in the near future. Rooms at The Taaras Beach and Spa Resort start from 680RM (Dh597).
Banned items
Dubai Police has also issued a list of banned items at the ground on Sunday. These include:
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Political flags or banners
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Bikes, skateboards or scooters
Emergency phone numbers in the UAE
Estijaba – 8001717 – number to call to request coronavirus testing
Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111
Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre
Emirates airline – 600555555
Etihad Airways – 600555666
Ambulance – 998
Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries
Like a Fading Shadow
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Tax authority targets shisha levy evasion
The Federal Tax Authority will track shisha imports with electronic markers to protect customers and ensure levies have been paid.
Khalid Ali Al Bustani, director of the tax authority, on Sunday said the move is to "prevent tax evasion and support the authority’s tax collection efforts".
The scheme’s first phase, which came into effect on 1st January, 2019, covers all types of imported and domestically produced and distributed cigarettes. As of May 1, importing any type of cigarettes without the digital marks will be prohibited.
He said the latest phase will see imported and locally produced shisha tobacco tracked by the final quarter of this year.
"The FTA also maintains ongoing communication with concerned companies, to help them adapt their systems to meet our requirements and coordinate between all parties involved," he said.
As with cigarettes, shisha was hit with a 100 per cent tax in October 2017, though manufacturers and cafes absorbed some of the costs to prevent prices doubling.
Starring: Jamie Foxx, Angela Bassett, Tina Fey
Directed by: Pete Doctor
Rating: 4 stars
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