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Rawdha Al Otaiba, Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in the UK, visited BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, London on Thursday 24 March 2022.
The Deputy Ambassador was welcomed with a garland and the traditional tying of the nada-chhadi – a Hindu gesture of friendship and goodwill – and provided an overview of the Mandir’s history, development and impact.
After paying her respects at the shrines in the upper sanctum of the Mandir, the Deputy Ambassador proceeded to the Haveli where she viewed a presentation on the Mandir and its recent activities, including the relief work during the Covid-19 pandemic and the response to the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. The delegation also viewed a short video summarising the progress of the upcoming BAPS Hindu mandir in Abu Dhabi.
The visit fostered a further strengthening of ties between the Hindu communities in the UK and the UAE. Reflecting on her visit, the Deputy Ambassador said, “I am so delighted to visit the temple today. [It is] such an incredible building and I really enjoyed my tour, and I was really impressed to see how this building was built with the traditional methods and material. It’s such an iconic building here in London.”
Drawing upon the contribution of the Hindu community in the UAE, she added, “The UAE and its people and leadership all represent a combination of tolerance, harmony, respect, and acceptance of others. I am looking forward, of course, to come for the opening of the Abu Dhabi temple, which will be an iconic building in the lovely city of Abu Dhabi. I encourage everyone to come, engage and visit this amazing, beautiful temple [here in London].”
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