Indian Kids: More than 100 Indian school children are actively engaged in painting tiny treasure stones. These stones will serve as memorable gifts for guests attending the inaugural ceremony of the first Hindu stone temple in Abu Dhabi, the UAE’s capital, scheduled for Wednesday.
The temple, under the auspices of Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS), will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, marking a significant milestone as the UAE’s maiden traditional Hindu stone temple.
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The children have been dedicating themselves to “stone seva” every Sunday at the temple site for the past three months, now putting finishing touches on these tiny treasures.
Tithi Patel, a 12-year-old participant, describes stone seva as a weekend activity she cherishes with her friends. They gather leftover stones and small rocks from the temple site, meticulously washing, polishing, and painting them.
Each stone features a motivational quote on one side and a depiction of the temple on the other, as shared by Tithi with PTI.
These stones serve as enduring mementos, evoking memories of the grand temple visit for the guests. She also mentions her parents’ involvement in temple seva activities.
Prime Minister Modi’s forthcoming two-day visit to the UAE, commencing on Tuesday, includes the temple’s inauguration on February 14.
The temple’s façade boasts intricate marble carvings juxtaposed against a sandstone background, meticulously crafted from over 25K stone pieces by skilled artisans hailing from Rajasthan and Gujarat.
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