From Prambanan To Angkor Wat, India Keeps An Eye On Historic Heritage Sites

JAKARTA- Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the historic Prambanan Temple in Indonesia on July 8, has highlighted India’s efforts to preserve and restore shared civilizational and cultural heritage across Asia.

On July 7, India and Indonesia exchanged a Letter of Intent for an India-backed conservation and restoration project at the Prambanan Temple complex in Yogyakarta, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Built in the 10th century, Prambanan is the largest Hindu temple complex in Indonesia and is dedicated primarily to Lord Shiva. The complex features temples devoted to the Hindu trinity of Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma, while its intricate stone reliefs depicting scenes from the Ramayana reflect the cultural and spiritual links between India and Southeast Asia. At its heart stands the 154-foot Shiva temple, the tallest structure at Prambanan. The sprawling complex originally consisted of 240 temples.

In Bangladesh, India assisted in the reconstruction of the historic Ramna Kali Temple, which was destroyed during Pakistan’s Operation Searchlight in 1971 and inaugurated in 2021. India also financed the restoration of the nearly 300-year-old Joy Kali Mata Temple in Natore and supported restoration work at the Anandomoyee Kali Mata Mandir and the Ramakrishna Temple.

In Vietnam, a Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2014 enabled India to undertake conservation work at the UNESCO-listed Mỹ Sơn Sanctuary, one of Southeast Asia’s most important Shaivite temple complexes and the religious center of the ancient Champa Kingdom.

In Myanmar, India signed a Memorandum of Understanding in 2017 to restore earthquake-damaged monuments in the UNESCO-listed Bagan Archaeological Zone. The Archaeological Survey of India restored 12 historic pagodas and completed conservation work at the Ananda Temple.

Following the devastating 2015 earthquake in Nepal, India launched the restoration and conservation of 28 cultural heritage sites under its $50 million reconstruction assistance program. These include the Seto Machhindranath Temple and the Budhanilkantha Temple Dharamshala.

Since 2022, India has continued conservation efforts at Cambodia’s Angkor Heritage Complex, including Ta Prohm, Angkor Wat and Preah Vihear.

In Laos, India restored key structures at the UNESCO-listed Vat Phou Temple, a nearly 1,000-year-old Shiva temple and one of Southeast Asia’s oldest surviving symbols of Hindu heritage.

During his 2019 visit to Bahrain, Modi inaugurated the $4.2 million redevelopment project of the 200-year-old Shreenathji Temple in Manama, one of the Gulf region’s oldest Hindu temples.

In Sri Lanka, India reactivated the restoration project for the historic Thiruketheeswaram Temple. Under a Memorandum of Understanding signed in July 2015, India extended LKR 326 million in grant assistance to restore one of Sri Lanka’s five ancient Pancha Ishwarams dedicated to Lord Shiva. (IANS)