A new Hindu temple in Dubai's Jebel Ali, the foundation stone of which was laid last year, is expected to be open for worshippers by Diwali 2022, according to media reports. 

The temple, being constructed adjacent to the Guru Nanak Singh Darbar in the city, is an extension of the Sindhi Guru Darbar in Bur Dubai, according to the Community Development Authority, Dubai.  

Raju Shroff, an Indian businessman and one of the trustees of the Sindhi Guru Darbar Temple, announced on Sunday that the construction of the temple is underway, and the basement of the structure is complete.

The new temple is an extension of the Sindhi Guru Darbar Temple in Souq Baniyas, Bur Dubai, one of the oldest Hindu temples in the country, open since the 1950s.  

“Piling, shoring and casting of basements one and two is complete as of now. We are on track to open during Diwali 2022,” Shroff was quoting telling Khaleej Times. The temple’s foundation-stone-laying ceremony took place in February last year.

The new temple will be constructed adjacent to the Guru Nanak Darbar in Jebel Ali, making the locality a multi-religious corridor in Dubai. “Once complete, there will be several churches, the Sikh Guru Nanak Darbar, and a Hindu temple in the same location,” explained Shroff.

The temple will be home to 11 Hindu deities, catering to religious beliefs of Hindu communities belonging to all parts of India, he added. Furthermore, the temple’s architecture will have a distinct Arabian look.

According to Gulf News, the actual structure will cover 25,000 sq ft of land, while the built up area of the temple stands at a spacious 75,000 sq ft.

The structure includes two basements, a ground floor and first floor.

There's also a 4,000 square feet banquet hall that can accommodate a gathering of 775 people approximately, and a smaller 1,000 square ft multipurpose room for events up to 100 people.  

SOURCE : INDIATIMES