Tolerance and harmony is the bedrock of the first Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi, authorities said before it opens in February.
The intricate pink sandstone and white marble structure, which cost Dh350 million ($95.3 million) to build, will be inaugurated on February 14 by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi after it is consecrated and blessed by Hindu priests in a ceremony.
The Baps Swaminarayan Sanstha, the organisation that built the temple, described it as a sign of the openness and inclusion of the UAE, its leaders and people.
Harmony and tolerance “is the very soul of this nation”, Swami Brahmaviharidas, head of international relations for Baps, said at the temple site on Wednesday.
The core idea of the Baps Hindu mandir [temple] is that it's a spiritual oasis for global harmony
Swami Brahmaviharidas,
head of international relations for Baps
He thanked the UAE's leaders for granting permission for the temple to be built.
“It is a place of worship for Hindus but the core idea of the Baps Hindu mandir [temple], as you will understand, is a spiritual oasis for global harmony, to promote harmony on this Earth,” he said.
Swami Brahmaviharidas said the temple would foster peace and also signified the close ties between the UAE and India.
He praised the spirit of acceptance and the example set by UAE Rulers from the Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan to President Sheikh Mohamed, who granted land for the temple when he was Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
The swami described the UAE President as a “gentle leader with great space in his heart”. He recounted Sheikh Mohamed's response when he was shown two plans for the temple – one contemporary and the other traditional.
“When we showed him, in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, two plans in 2018 of whether to create a Hindu temple that looks like a conventional, normal building or one that looks like a traditional building carved out of stone that will take years to build and that revives 10,000 years of art and culture, very gently he smiled and said, 'Your holiness, if you are building a temple it should look like a temple,'” Swami Brahmaviharidas said.
Hand-carved sculptures
The temple, in the emirate’s Abu Mureikha area, has been built on what was originally 5.4 hectares of land, that was then increased to 11 hectares to include community halls and parking areas.
Artisans in India's northern Rajasthan state carved sandstone and marble slabs that were then shipped to the UAE and fitted on site. In keeping with ancient Indian temples, iron and steel were not used in the construction, with pillars fitting together like a giant jigsaw puzzle.
With two weeks until the opening, cranes and heavy machinery have been removed from the main temple site.
Indian sculptors are carefully finishing the sandstone carvings of Indian deities and elaborate engravings that tell stories from ancient scriptures such as the Ramayana and Mahabharata.
Artisans polish the white marble pillars inside the temple, decorated with rows of musicians, dancers and carvings of sea shells, the Sun and Moon.
The temple’s seven towering brass-topped spires represent the emirates of the UAE.
The main spires will house Hindu deities worshipped by people across India and depict stories from the lives of gods such as Rama, Krishna and Shiv.
Following the February 14 inauguration, the temple will be open to the public from February 18.
Authorities have asked UAE residents to visit from March 1 due to thousands of overseas visitors travelling to the Emirates to view the temple in February.
From February 15 to February 21, a week-long celebration will begin at the temple site, with prayers and talks on harmony and peace.
Visitors must register on the temple website at www.mandir.ae to attend the harmony week celebrations.
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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
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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.
