Shrinathji Temple, Manama: The ~200-Year-Old Heart of Hindu Bahrain (Heritage Guide)

Quick answer: The Shrinathji (Shri Krishna) Temple in Manama, Bahrain, is roughly 200 years old and widely regarded as the oldest Hindu temple in the Arab region. Built by the Gujarati/Sindhi merchant community in the 19th century, it remains a living centre of Hindu religious and community life in the Gulf.

Tucked into the old souq of Manama stands one of the most remarkable Hindu sites outside India: the Shrinathji Temple — a Shri Krishna temple roughly two centuries old, widely regarded as the oldest Hindu temple in the Arab region. For Bahrain’s Indian community it is not just a place of worship but a living thread back to the merchant families who built the kingdom’s trade.

Roughly 200 years of continuous worship

The Shrinathji Temple traces its origins to the Thattai Bhatia and broader Gujarati/Sindhi merchant community that settled in Manama in the 19th century. Bahrain’s long-established practice of allocating land for non-Islamic places of worship allowed the temple to take root and endure — and it has remained a centre of Hindu religious and community life in the Gulf ever since, through generations of traders, pearl merchants and, later, professionals.

Why it matters

• One of the oldest — if not the oldest — Hindu temples in the Arab region, a genuine heritage landmark.
• A continuous anchor for Bahrain’s Indian merchant community for around two centuries.
• A symbol of Bahrain’s long tradition of religious coexistence and land allocation for non-Muslim worship.
• A living festival centre — Janmashtami, Diwali, Ganesh Chaturthi and the Vaishnava calendar are observed here.

Ganesh Chaturthi at Shrinathji

Although Shrinathji is a Krishna (Pushtimarg) temple, the Manama community gathers here through the festival season, and Ganesh Chaturthi is observed within the wider temple and community life of the Adliya/Manama Hindu institutions (including ISKCON Bahrain and the Guruvayurappan Temple in Adliya). For families, the temple is the natural focal point for darshan and for sanctioned visarjan arrangements.

Visiting

The temple sits within the historic Manama souq area. Check current darshan timings locally, dress modestly, and confirm festival-day arrangements with the temple, as timings extend during major festivals. As with all of Bahrain’s temples, celebration here is open and warmly community-centred.

In a region where Hindu heritage is often assumed to be recent, the Shrinathji Temple is a quiet, extraordinary exception — two centuries of unbroken devotion in the heart of Manama.

Frequently Asked Questions

How old is the Shrinathji Temple in Manama?

It is roughly 200 years old, tracing to Manama’s 19th-century Gujarati/Sindhi merchant community, and is widely regarded as the oldest Hindu temple in the Arab region.

Where is the Shrinathji Temple?

In the historic Manama souq area of Bahrain’s capital. Check current darshan timings locally, especially during festivals.

Which deity is worshipped at Shrinathji?

It is a Shri Krishna (Shrinathji, Pushtimarg) temple. Bahrain also has ISKCON Bahrain and the Guruvayurappan Temple in Adliya.

Can visitors attend festivals there?

Yes — celebration in Bahrain is open and community-centred; confirm festival-day timings with the temple as they extend during major festivals.