The Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia has been restored by India. Minister of External Affairs, Dr. S. Jaishankar, announced this recently, further stating that the Indian civilization is not limited to India and is spread all across various countries.
While addressing the Kashi Tamil Sangamam on the subject “contribution of temples in society and nation building,” Dr. S. Jaishankar said that there are temples not only in India and various other places in the Indian subcontinent but also in many regions beyond. He further said that he had gone with the Vice President to see the biggest temple in the world, the Angkor Wat Temple Complex. India is now restoring and renovating the temples at Angkor Wat. These are some of the contributions India is making outside of its borders as its civilization spreads.
When India is restoring, renovating, rebuilding, and re-energizing the Indian civilization, its task is not confined to India alone. India’s task is all over the world. But it is not just about where India’s civilization went; it is also about where Indian travelers, traders, and religious people went.
When Dr. S. Jaishankar was India’s ambassador to China, he recalled the remnants of Indian Hindu temples even in China on the east coast. He further said that there is a very special connection between Ayodhya and Korea, whose people want to get associated with the development of Ayodhya.
He further mentioned the Shree Nath Jee Temple in Bahrain, where all these were established by the Indians when they went out. It is a matter of great pride that Indian people are building a temple in Bahrain, UAE, while also getting approval to build the temple there. A lot of work has also been done in Vietnam. India also supports what the people of India are doing outside, and there are more than 1000 temples in the US, as said by Dr. S. Jaishankar.
He went on to say that there are over 3.5 crore Indians and people of Indian origin living outside of India who have brought their culture with them. So it is the effort of India today to support them, which they do in different manners. Dr. S. Jaishankar also announced that Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India has pledged Rs. 200 crores to build a Ramayan Circuit in Nepal so that everyone could visit the Indian heritage in close quarters. Even in Sri Lanka, India has restored Thiruketheeswaram Temple in Mannar, which had been closed for 12 years. The temple is one of the five sacred Ishwarams dedicated to Lord Shiva, which are venerated by the Shaivaits throughout the subcontinent. The temple was a testament to Sri Lanka’s most difficult period, having been closed for 12 years following the armed conflicts and reopened in 2002.
Dr. S. Jaishankar also said that after the 2015 earthquake in Nepal, many temples were damaged because they were very old. He further added, “We have committed USD 50 million for the restoration of cultural heritage in Nepal.”
