This temple is said to be the first Hindu temple in the Middle East. As Dubai is the most emerging and promising place in the Middle East and most of the locals are well educated from western countries, even though the majority of people follow Islam religion, it has got a more open attitude to all other cultures and religions from various part of the globe. So the rulers approved the request of expatriates (especially Sindhi community) from India to setup a temple in a common place to worship. Sindhi community are respected for their contributions as traders in the formation of modern Dubai.
No doubt, it was a bold movement from the part of rulers, a rare virtue attributed to one and only Dubai! The Hindu religion or culture is based on idolatry which is against Islam religion. Still they approved it in their Emirates! After that, several nations in the Arabian Gulf have given consent for Hindus to set up temples and worship within their domain.
The temple complex is very old one and consists of Ganesh, Shiva-Parvathy, Shirdhi Sai Baba, Gurudwar and Sree Nath Haveli. Both the sides of the narrow ‘gallis’ or pathways leading to the sanctum sanctorum are occupied by vendors of flowers, milk and other sweets. Pilgrims buy these products and take them to the temple to offer to the deities.
Despite well educated, civilized and employed professionals, once we set out for the day together as school kids, the smoky morning air gets reverberated with giggles and shrieks! It is our favourite habit to tease the passersby secretly. We discuss almost everything under the sky sarcastically. In our eyes, we three were the only perfect people in this world.
Prasad is an expert in misguiding passengers whenever they seek the way to church, post office or whatever place.
We get down in Saediya Intersection stop and from there walk 10 minutes to the temple on the banks of Abra creek.
Here, in Shiva temple, you can perform Abhisheka (pouring of milk) yourself on the Shiva-Linga which is rarely allowed in traditional Kerala temples. Diluted milk and steel cups are kept in several plastic buckets in the temple for devotees to pick themselves. However, only diluted milk is allowed to pour and any fresh milk brought by the devotees should be decanted into the plastic buckets in order to dilute with adequate water.
As any other traditional temple in India, edible Prasad is distributed in a courner of the temple. Tilak or Sindhoor to mark the forehead are also available.
Once we complete darshan, we will walk to the same bus stop ‘Saediya Intersection’ to take a bus to Karama where we will have our breakfast from a favourite South Indian restaurant called “Bheemas”. From the menu we prefer any of Kal Dosa, Masala Dosa, Ghee Roast or Poori etc. with a cup of Lipton tea.
to be continued...
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