From Prambanan Temple of Indonesia to Shrinathji of Bahrain… How did India renovate temples under the leadership of PM Modi?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit the historic Prambanan temple along with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto on Wednesday. This temple is located in Yogyakarta, Indonesia and is about 1000 years old. It was built in the 9th century. This temple is dedicated to Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma. There are a total of 240 temples in it. The story of Ramayana is carved on stones in the temple. It was damaged by several earthquakes and explosions. Later it was rediscovered. UNESCO has declared it a world heritage.

Let us tell you that its repair is going on since 1918. It is a magnificent example of Hindu art and culture in South-East Asia. PM Modi will launch a special conservation project to protect and take care of this 1000 year old temple. PM Modi said on Tuesday that this temple is an excellent proof of the centuries-old cultural and historical relations between India and Indonesia.

India’s ‘cultural diplomacy’ in Indonesia

This conservation project is part of India’s Act East policy and cultural diplomacy in South-East Asia. The Modi government is working with these countries in South-East Asia to revive their old and common heritage. It is continuously helping in the repair and conservation of ancient Hindu temples and cultural sites. From 2014 till now, India has renovated many temples.

Renovation of these temples from 2014 till now

1. In 2014, the Modi government renovated the famous Mai Son Sanctuary of Vietnam. It is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List and is one of the most important Shiva temples in South-East Asia. It was also the main religious center of the ancient Champa Empire.
2. In 2015, India helped in the restoration of Tirukethiswaram Temple in Sri Lanka. It is one of the five ancient Pancha Easwaram temples of Sri Lanka dedicated to Lord Shiva. In July 2015, the Government of India signed an agreement and provided 326 million Sri Lankan rupees for the repair of this temple.
3. In 2017, India signed an agreement to repair earthquake-damaged monuments in Myanmar’s UNESCO World Heritage Site Bagan. The ASI team started the restoration of 12 ancient pagodas there. India also completely renovated the famous Anand Temple there.
4. After the earthquake in Nepal in 2017, India provided assistance of 50 million US dollars i.e. about Rs 500 crore for reconstruction. With this help, Modi government started repairing 28 important cultural sites of Nepal. These include the famous Seto Machhindranath Temple, Budhanilkanth Temple and Dharamshala.
5. In 2019, PM Modi visited Bahrain. There he inaugurated the redevelopment project of the 200-year-old Shrinathji Temple in Manama. 4.2 million US dollars i.e. approximately Rs 35 crore were spent on this.
6. In 2020, the Government of India provided financial assistance for the reconstruction of the nearly 300-year-old Joy Kali Mata Temple in Natore, Bangladesh. Apart from this, the government also helped in the renovation of Anandamayi Kali Mata Temple and Ramakrishna Temple in Bangladesh.
7. In 2021, Modi government announced help for the reconstruction of Ramna Kali Temple in Bangladesh. This temple was destroyed by the Pakistan Army in 1971. It was inaugurated in 2021. This further strengthened the cultural ties between the two countries.
8. In 2022, India carried out large-scale work in the world famous Angkor heritage area of ​​Cambodia. Important temples such as Ta Prohm, Angkor Wat and Preah Vihear were restored and conserved.
9. In 2024, India renovated the major buildings of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Wat Phou temple in Laos. It is an approximately 1000 year old Shiva temple and is considered to be the oldest surviving symbol of the Sanatana civilization in South-East Asia.