Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit the historic Prambanan Temple in Indonesia on Wednesday, July 8. As the Prime Minister plans the major visit, India’s efforts over the past decade to preserve the common civilizational and cultural heritage across Asia have come into focus.
According to reports, India will help Indonesia in preserving and restoring the temple complex, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Yogyakarta. A day ago, India and Indonesia exchanged letters of intent to mark the start of the project, news agency PTI reported.
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Here’s a look at how India has revived its shared cultural heritage over the past few years:
2021 | Bangladesh | Ramna Kali Temple
Bangladesh has been one of the main beneficiaries of these initiatives.
In 2021, the Modi government supported the reconstruction of the historic Ramna Kali Temple in Dhaka, which was destroyed during Pakistan’s Operation Searchlight in 1971.
The restoration of the temple revived one of the most important Hindu shrines in Bangladesh, and emphasized the common cultural heritage between the two countries.
2020 | Bangladesh | Goi Kali Mata Temple
Earlier, in 2020, India had funded the reconstruction of the nearly 300-year-old Joy Kali Mata temple in Natore through an Indian government grant.
New Delhi also supported the restoration of the Anandumoy Kali Mata Mandir and the Ramakrishna Temple, helping to preserve important centers of the Hindu faith in Bangladesh.
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Agreement with Vietnam in 2014 | My son’s sanctuary
India has also played an important role in preserving the ancient Hindu heritage in Southeast Asia. In 2014, it signed an agreement with Vietnam to restore the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Mỹ Sơn Reserve, one of the most important Shaivite temple complexes in the ancient Champa Kingdom.
2017 (signing of the memorandum of understanding) | Myanmar | Bagan Heritage Area
In Myanmar, India signed a memorandum of understanding in 2017 to restore damaged monuments in the UNESCO-listed archaeological area of Bagan, which was struck by the earthquake. The Archaeological Survey of India has restored 12 historic temples and completed restoration work on the famous Ananda Temple.
2017 (signing of the memorandum of understanding) | Nepal | Restoration of 28 heritage sites
Following the devastating earthquake that struck Nepal in 2015, India pledged US$50 million for post-earthquake reconstruction. Under the MoU signed in 2017, restoration and conservation work was launched at 28 cultural heritage sites, including the historic Setu Machindranath Temple and Boudhanilkantha Dharamshala Temple.
2022 onwards | Cambodia | Angkor Heritage
India has also continued conservation work of the Angkor heritage complex in Cambodia from 2022 onwards. The restoration efforts have covered major monuments such as Ta Prohm, Angkor Wat and Preah Vihear, underscoring India’s commitment to preserving one of the largest centers of Hindu civilization in the world.
2024 | Laos | Wat Pho Temple
In Laos, India restored the main structures of the UNESCO-listed Phat Pho Temple in 2024. The nearly 1,000-year-old Shiva temple is considered one of the oldest surviving symbols of the Sanatan civilization in Southeast Asia.
2019 | Bahrain | Shrinathji Temple
During his historic visit to Bahrain in 2019, Prime Minister Modi inaugurated the US$4.2 million redevelopment of the 200-year-old Shrinathji (Shri Krishna) Temple in Manama, helping to preserve one of the oldest Hindu temples in the Gulf region.
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2015 | Sri Lanka | Thirukithiswaram Temple
India also provided support to Sri Lanka. In July 2015, the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding under which India provided LKR 326 million in grant to help restore the historic Thirukitheeswaram Temple, one of the five ancient Pancha Ishwaram temples in Sri Lanka dedicated to Lord Shiva.
These restoration projects reflect India’s broader efforts to preserve common cultural heritage and strengthen cultural ties with countries in South Asia and Southeast Asia through the preservation of temples, monuments and other historical sites.
