National Center for Meteorology has issued a severe red alert urging people to be highly vigilant during adverse weather conditions where thunder and heavy rain may continue until noon on Tuesday

Jeddah: Amidst adverse weather conditions and showers in UAE, hectic preparations are being done for the grand opening of the first ever Hindu Temple in Abu Dhabi, capital of UAE on Wednesday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is to formally inaugurate the temple. The National Center for Meteorology has issued a severe red alert urging people to be highly vigilant during adverse weather conditions where thunder and heavy rain may continue until noon on Tuesday.

More than 60,0000 Indians have registered to participate in the Ahlan Modi event, the PM’s address to NRI community in a stadium, to welcome Modi ahead of inauguration of the temple on Tuesday, where attendees must be seated by 4 pm. The working day added with unexpected rain conditions are posing a challenge for the organisers of the public meeting. More than 1,500 volunteers from the UAE have been part of the organising and planning process of the large-scale stadium gathering.

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“We are certain that a large number of NRIs attend the event to welcome Modi,” said K. Mahinder Reddy of IPF, a community organization in Dubai and that is actively involved in organising the event. “The youth of Telangana NRI community is one of the large crowds that we are expecting,” said N Devender Reddy of BJP.

More than 700 local artists, mainly school children, set to perform cultural performances at the stadium. The following evening, on Wednesday, Modi will inaugurate the BAPS Hindu temple after a morning prayer ceremony during which the place of worship will be consecrated and blessed.

BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS), which is building the temple, is an international community-based Hindu fellowship affiliated with the United Nations and actively involved in the religious and spiritual service of its devotees in UAE and some other parts of the GCC for a long time. The temple has seven deities apart from principal deity Swamy Narayana. Tirumala’s Sri Padmavati Srinivasa, also known as Tirupati Sri Venkateshwara also among them.

Mahant Swami Maharaj, the head of BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha who will preside over the temple opening ceremony, was accorded the status of a state guest, and received in traditional Arabic style with a troupe of dancers, drummers, and chanters performing Al Ayyala. Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance, warmly greeted Swami Maharaj at the airport.