Hindu Temple in Bur Dubai Closed
On December 8, Gulf News and Khaleej Times reported the Hindu Temple in Bur Dubai (established in 1958) will close its doors by early January and worshippers could go to the new temple in Jebel Ali, which opened in October 2022.
It served a community that lived and worked in the area who are now expected to go to the other end of the city to pray, which is not an affordable option for many.
“Dubai's economy is boosted by over 500-600 shops around the old temple. Many in the textile market start their day with a visit to the temple before heading to work. There's a strong push from the community to preserve the old temple, and the committee is actively working toward that goal. We're exploring all potential avenues to make this happen.”
Narasimhamurthy added, “Simultaneously, we are also checking with the Festival Plaza in Jebel Ali to see if they can accommodate these small shops. We have a challenge accommodating them within the new temple complex since we do not have any extra space.”
via Khaleej Times
Another piece in Khaleej Times has people share their memories about the temple - 'End of an era': Bur Dubai Hindu temple relocation to Jebel Ali saddens residents.
It’s always sad when old landmarks in Dubai disappear, and it is not clear what will replace the Hindu Temple. It also shows the lack of meaningful efforts in this city to save and preserve old landmarks. Instead, we get new buildings made to look like they're old and marketed as heritage sites.
My brother Khalid Mezaina posted this photo and text on Twitter after he visited the last day of the temple on January 3.
