New Delhi: Many rags-to-riches prayers answered Vasu Since Shroff’s one-room visit to the temple Dubai As a youth full of dreams in 1960. Now, after a life full of diligence and tenacity, the 82-year-old has gifted Dubai a 70,000 sq ft marvel.
Dubai Hindu Temple jebal ali The area stands as a memorial to the hard work, prayer and contribution of the Indian community of the entrepreneurial philanthropist, says Vasu’s son RajuA trustee of the temple.
According to Raju, instead of calling it Shiv or Krishna or Durga Temple, the committee named it Dubai Hindu Temple because it has 16 prayer halls, each dedicated to a deity. The massive structure is a place of worship for followers of all Hindu sects, not just one, says Raju, an alumnus of Harvard and London Business School. It will allow entry to people of all religions.
The Dubai Hindu Temple has come a long way from its one-room predecessor, the Guru Darbar Sindhi Temple in the Bur Dubai area. Vasu’s brother Vikomal Shroff and his brother-in-law Ramachandran Savlani founded it in 1958. Vasu came in 1960, became part of the Managing Committee in 1961 and has been leading it since 1973.
This was a time when the desert emirate had hardly any facilities to speak of. Forget the dazzling buildings, there were neither proper roads nor electricity. Over time, Dubai developed into a desert wonderland, a thriving tourism and trading center that attracted hordes of Indians. Vasu also became successful as his Regal Group of textiles, real estate and technology made him one of the richest businessmen of Indian origin. Raju says, “We were among the first Indian settlers in Dubai.
That little temple became Dubai’s mascot for the affluent and prosperous Indian community. Vasu then requested the authorities to give a large piece of land for the temple. In 2019, the Community Development Authority of Dubai allocated land in the Jebel Ali area. The ground-breaking ceremony was held in 2020, a year went to plan and after two years of construction, the temple is now open to the public.
While the marble is from Makrana in Rajasthan and the statues are from different parts of India, the design features several mashrabiya elements, which give the unique structure an “Arabic” look, says architect Subhash Bhoit, who spent 45 years working on 124 temple projects. have spent.
“The temple is a marriage of Indian temple design with Arab architecture. It is a reflection of our lives, how we built successful businesses here while continuing our faith,” says Raju.
“Despite the Covid, the construction timelines were not hampered due to the support of the Dubai Government. The temple is truly a remarkable symbol of how receptive and kind the Dubai government is,” says Raju. The area around the temple is a living example of Dubai’s pluralism – it has seven churches and a gurudwara. Raju says that the surrounding area is now affectionately called “Pooja Village”.
After playing a stellar innings in temple projects around the world, Vasu hopes to score a century: help establish 100 temples in his lifetime.
Dubai Hindu Temple jebal ali The area stands as a memorial to the hard work, prayer and contribution of the Indian community of the entrepreneurial philanthropist, says Vasu’s son RajuA trustee of the temple.
According to Raju, instead of calling it Shiv or Krishna or Durga Temple, the committee named it Dubai Hindu Temple because it has 16 prayer halls, each dedicated to a deity. The massive structure is a place of worship for followers of all Hindu sects, not just one, says Raju, an alumnus of Harvard and London Business School. It will allow entry to people of all religions.
The Dubai Hindu Temple has come a long way from its one-room predecessor, the Guru Darbar Sindhi Temple in the Bur Dubai area. Vasu’s brother Vikomal Shroff and his brother-in-law Ramachandran Savlani founded it in 1958. Vasu came in 1960, became part of the Managing Committee in 1961 and has been leading it since 1973.
This was a time when the desert emirate had hardly any facilities to speak of. Forget the dazzling buildings, there were neither proper roads nor electricity. Over time, Dubai developed into a desert wonderland, a thriving tourism and trading center that attracted hordes of Indians. Vasu also became successful as his Regal Group of textiles, real estate and technology made him one of the richest businessmen of Indian origin. Raju says, “We were among the first Indian settlers in Dubai.
That little temple became Dubai’s mascot for the affluent and prosperous Indian community. Vasu then requested the authorities to give a large piece of land for the temple. In 2019, the Community Development Authority of Dubai allocated land in the Jebel Ali area. The ground-breaking ceremony was held in 2020, a year went to plan and after two years of construction, the temple is now open to the public.
While the marble is from Makrana in Rajasthan and the statues are from different parts of India, the design features several mashrabiya elements, which give the unique structure an “Arabic” look, says architect Subhash Bhoit, who spent 45 years working on 124 temple projects. have spent.
“The temple is a marriage of Indian temple design with Arab architecture. It is a reflection of our lives, how we built successful businesses here while continuing our faith,” says Raju.
“Despite the Covid, the construction timelines were not hampered due to the support of the Dubai Government. The temple is truly a remarkable symbol of how receptive and kind the Dubai government is,” says Raju. The area around the temple is a living example of Dubai’s pluralism – it has seven churches and a gurudwara. Raju says that the surrounding area is now affectionately called “Pooja Village”.
After playing a stellar innings in temple projects around the world, Vasu hopes to score a century: help establish 100 temples in his lifetime.