Over 2.5 mn people from all religions visited BAPS Temple in Abu Dhabi in past year: Brahmavihari Swami
Dubai: Spiritual leader Brahmavihari Swami said that more than 2.5 million people from across religions, races, and regions have visited the BAPS Temple in Abu Dhabi in the past year. He stated that the temple has become a spiritual oasis for global harmony, where people come, pray, and go back with greater joy and love in their own lives.
Speaking to ANI on the sidelines of the Global Justice, Love, and Peace Summit in Dubai on Sunday, Brahmavihari Swami said that the temple was gifted by Abu Dhabi Ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, guided by Mahant Swami Maharaj, and has been the integral effort of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who, he said, believes in creating more harmony across India and the world.
About the response received by BAPS Temple in Abu Dhabi, he said, "In the last one year, more than 2.5 million people have come, and people have come not just from the Hindu community, from across world, religions and races and regions. The Mandir itself, the journey itself was one of harmony, where more than 70,000 people have come forward to place a brick to make the mandir and the mandir that has been made, it has become a spiritual oasis for global harmony where people come, pray, and go back with greater joy and love in their own life."
"So, it shows that religions can coexist, that countries can help one another, where culture can no longer be a point of conflict, but it creates cohesion. So, the Mandir in Abu Dhabi, which has been gifted by the generous generosity of the Ruler of Abu Dhabi, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and the entire family and which has been actually guided by His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj Maharaj and inspired by him, but it has been the integral effort of our Prime Minister Narendrabhai Modi, who genuinely believes in creating more harmony across our nation and across the world," he added.
The BAPS Temple, the first Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi, was inaugurated by Prime Minister Modi on February 14 last year. Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahyan, the Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence for the UAE, was also present at the inauguration.
Brahmavihari Swami called harmony the most important thing and highlighted its importance in a family and nation. He stated that harmony is very important and stressed that it is the role of every person, whether professional, educational, or spiritual, to generate more harmony.
At the Global Justice, Love and Peace Summit, he said, "The most important thing, in my opinion, is harmony. We can have great countries, strong nations. We can have enlightened communities, but if we cannot live in harmony, then there's no purpose. Even the strongest nations, if they are not harmonious, are rogue nations. Even the biggest corporations, if they are not harmonious, are not comfortable for the people who work for them. Even the wealthiest family, if it's not harmonious, then it's a broken family, and even an individual, if he or she is not harmonious with herself, her thoughts, then it's a very terrible depressed life."
"So harmony is very important and it is not just the role of religions to generate harmony, but every field, whether it's professional, whether it's educational, whether it's you know people that create industrial and whether it's spiritual, everybody has to play that part to generate more and more harmony. So I'm really glad that an effort is being made with this Global Justice Love and Peace Summit in Dubai where people from all different fields and professions, the best and the most excellent people, have gathered together to spend time for thinking about harmony, communicativeness, love and justice and I'm very, very happy and privileged to be a part of this entire programme," he added.
The Global Justice, Love, and Peace Summit is taking place in Dubai from April 12-13. The gathering is dedicated to the ideals of justice, love and peace.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Times of Oman
20-05-2025
- Times of Oman
Success rate is 100%, can be 101%, but it cannot be less: Indian Army on early warning radar of the air defence system
Jammu: The Indian Army's early warning radar system played an important role in detecting and destroying enemy targets during recent hostilities. The radar system with long-range capability, successfully searched and detected enemy drones, UAVs, and aircraft. "The radar you can see right behind me is an early warning radar of the air defence system, and this early warning radar is the most modern radar of today. This radar has long-range capability, which means that it has the ability to search and detect the enemy's target from a long range. Due to its long range, it searched and detected all the enemy targets, be it a drone, a UAV or an aircraft, very well," the Indian Army soldier told ANI on Monday. The soldier further explained that the radar system passed target data to the fire controller, which then directed the attached weapon system to open effective fire, resulting in the destruction of the targets in mid-air. "It passed the data of the target to the fire controller, and the weapon system attached to the fire control radar opened an effective fire on that particular target, due to which it was destroyed in the air itself. We detected their targets through those radars and destroyed them in the air through our weapon system before they could reach their destination." the soldier said. "Its success rate has been 100%, and it can be 101%, but it cannot be less than that. There is no doubt that if the enemy country dares to do something like this in the future, it will have to pay a lot more than this," the soldier added. The soldier recounted the loss faced by Pakistan due to this system, "Our army jammed their (Pakistan) air defence system, and they could not do anything, and due to this, they suffered heavy losses." Earlier in the day, an Indian Army major stated that the Indian Army's 'Akashteer' system played the most important role in Operation Sindoor. The Akashteer system is a centrally automated command and control system integrated with air force and army radars. Speaking to ANI, the Major said, "In our Operation Sindoor, 'Akashteer' system has played the most important role. This system is a centrally automated command and control system that is integrated with all the air forces and the army radars." "The enemy's drones came to our locations in a very large number. At that time, our Akashteer system declared them as hostile, and according to their location, the nearest weapon system was designated that you have to destroy them. Due to which we effectively destroyed all the drones that came into our territory," the Major said. The Major lauded the system's effectiveness, stating that it played a crucial role in achieving the mission's objective of preventing the enemy from accomplishing their goals. "It was 100% effective. We destroyed all the drones and our mission and objective was not to let the enemy accomplish any of their objectives, we have been successful in it." the Major added. The Major highlighted the system's indigenous origins, stating, "This system is made in India. It is helping us to destroy enemy drones and aircraft in a good way." Earlier, in a demonstration of India's rising defence prowess, the Indian Army showcased the indigenous Akashteer system and upgraded L-70 Air Defence Guns, both of which played a decisive role in intercepting every missile and drone during Pakistan's deadliest aerial assault on May 9-10. Speaking to ANI about the upgraded air defence system's competence, an L-70 Air Defence Gun operator said, "This gun system is very effective... We showed that we also have a system capable of destroying any target. It can track targets from a long distance and lock onto them. As soon as they enter the effective range, firing action is taken." The soldier added that the L-70 system achieved a 100 per cent success rate in destroying enemy drones during the conflict. "We destroyed all the drones. Its success rate is 100 per cent," he said. The soldier also expressed confidence in the Indian Army's ability to respond to future aerial threats. "Even in the future, if the enemy country tries to attack us by sending drones, aircraft, or missiles, we will give them a befitting reply, and we have the capability to destroy them in the air itself..." Meanwhile, Akashteer, India's fully indigenous, automated Air Defence Control and Reporting System, which intercepted and neutralised every inbound projectile amid India-Pakistan hostilities, is no longer a concept confined to defence journals, but a sharp edge of India's air defence.
Observer
12-05-2025
- Observer
Indian army reports 'first calm night' after Kashmir
Poonch - The frontier between arch-foes India and Pakistan was peaceful and had the "first calm night in recent days", the Indian army said Monday, after a surprise weekend ceasefire. The truce was agreed to on Saturday after four days of missile, drone, and artillery attacks between the two countries, which killed at least 60 people and sent thousands fleeing. It was the worst violence since the nuclear-armed rivals' last open conflict in 1999 and sent global shudders that it could spiral into full-blown war. There were initial doubts as the two sides accused each other of breaching the ceasefire just hours after it was unexpectedly announced by US President Donald Trump on social media. "The night remained largely peaceful across... Kashmir and other areas along the international border," the Indian army said. "No incidents have been reported, marking the first calm night in recent days," the statement added. It was also the second straight night without gunfire or shelling at Poonch, the frontier town in the part of divided Kashmir administered by India. Poonch was one of the worst-hit regions in the latest conflict, with at least 12 residents killed and most of the estimated 60,000 residents fleeing their homes. On Sunday, people started trickling back to the town, although many remained worried that the ceasefire would not last. The alarming spiral towards all-out conflict began before dawn on Wednesday, when India launched missile attacks destroying what it called "terrorist camps" in the Pakistani part of Kashmir. This followed an April 22 attack on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir, which killed 26 civilians. India accused Pakistan of backing the attack, but Islamabad denied involvement and immediately responded to the strikes with heavy artillery fire. It claimed to have downed five Indian fighter jets -- something New Delhi has not commented on. Militants have stepped up operations in Kashmir since 2019, when Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu nationalist government revoked the region's limited autonomy and took it under direct rule from New Delhi.
Observer
10-05-2025
- Observer
Oman welcomes ceasefire between India, Pakistan
MUSCAT: The Sultanate of Oman has welcomed the ceasefire agreement between the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the Republic of India, stressing the importance of this step in de-escalating tensions and enhancing regional security and stability. In a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry on Saturday, the Sultanate of Oman expressed its hope that the ceasefire agreement would mark the beginning of a constructive dialogue between the two sides leading to a settlement of differences through peaceful means, serving the interests of both peoples; and supporting peace and sustainable development efforts. The Sultanate of Oman commended the positive role of Donald Trump, President of the United States of America, in reaching the agreement. Pakistan and India agreed on Saturday to a full and immediate ceasefire after days of deadly jet fighter, missile, drone and artillery attacks — news surprisingly announced by Trump, who congratulated them on using "common sense". Officials from Islamabad and New Delhi confirmed the development minutes after Trump posted the announcement on his Truth Social network, as the conflict between the nuclear-armed neighbours appeared to be spiralling towards a full-blown war. "After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE. Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence," Trump posted. Indian foreign secretary Vikram Misri said both sides would "stop all firing and military action on land, air and sea" with effect from 5:00 pm (11:30 GMT). In a statement on X, Pakistan Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said: "Pakistan and India have agreed to a ceasefire with immediate effect." "Pakistan has always strived for peace and security in the region, without compromising on its sovereignty and territorial integrity," he added. The ceasefire comes after four days of attacks and counter-attacks by both sides that killed at least 60 people and saw thousands of civilians flee their homes along their border as well as in divided Kashmir. The fighting was touched off by an attack last month in the Indian-administered side of Kashmir that killed 26 tourists, mostly Hindu men, which Delhi blamed on Islamabad. POSITIVE STEP "The ceasefire is a positive step," said Bilal Shabbir, an IT consultant in Muzaffarabad, in Pakistan-administered Kashmir. "In war, it's not just soldiers who die, it's mostly civilians — and in this case, it would have been the people of Kashmir." In Srinagar, resident Sukesh Khajuria was more cautious. "The ceasefire is welcome, but it's difficult to trust Pakistan. We have to be vigilant," he said. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the ceasefire came after he and Vice-President JD Vance engaged with senior officials on both sides. "I am pleased to announce the Governments of India and Pakistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire and to start talks on a broad set of issues at a neutral site," he said on X. Vance posted on the same platform: "My gratitude to the leaders of India and Pakistan for their hard work and willingness to engage in this ceasefire." News of the ceasefire was welcomed in Britain, the Indian subcontinent's former colonial master and home to a huge diaspora from both countries. "Today's ceasefire between India and Pakistan is hugely welcome," Foreign Secretary David Lammy wrote on X. "I urge both parties to sustain this. De-escalation is in everybody's interest." UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also welcomed the ceasefire, calling it a "positive step" that should lead to peace, his spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement. Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei called on both countries "to use this opportunity to ensure a reduction in tensions and lasting peace in the region". — Agencies
