India, Indonesia agree to complete Prambanan Temple restoration before 2029, says PM Modi

Jakarta: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday that Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has made him promise that the Prambanan Temple restoration project will be completed before 2029 and announced that he will visit the Southeast Asian nation again to celebrate the occasion after its completion.

In his remarks at the inauguration of the Prambanan Temple Restoration Project in Yogyakarta on Wednesday, PM Modi stated that there is a fragrance of culture in the life, conversations and air in Indonesia.

PM Modi and Indonesian President Subianto jointly inaugurated the UNESCO World Heritage Prambanan Temple restoration project in Yogyakarta. PM Modi offered prayers at the temple and spoke to officials there. Devotees chanted ‘Om Namah Shivay’ at the Prambanan Temple as PM Modi offered prayers at the temple.

Speaking about the restoration project, he said, “The President has made me promise that we will finish this (Prambanan Temple Restoration Project) before 2029 and I have to visit again for it. I promise you that I will certainly be here after its renovation and celebrate with you.”

Emphasising the cultural connect between India and Indonesia, he said, “This is the third day of my visit here, but there is a fragrance of culture in the life, conversations and air here– a fragrance which we experience in India every moment. This fragrance of cultural heritage connects us to each other. I thank the people here for the manner in which they have preserved this heritage.”

“It is my good fortune that I often get the opportunity to connect with Lord Shiva. I was born in Vadnagar. Hatkeshwar Mahadev is a very large pilgrimage site. Somnath is the first of the 12 Jyotirlingas, which is on the land of Gujarat, and I have a direct responsibility for its development. My constituency is Kashi. The blessings of Kashi Vishwanath Mahadev are always with me. Whether it is the reconstruction of Kedarnath, the reconstruction of Ujjain Mahakal, or today, coming here and remembering the memories of Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesh from 10,000-12,000 years ago, and initiating the work of restoring and renovating our cultural heritage. I consider myself very fortunate,” he said.

He stated that the chanting of the Mahamrityunjaya Mantra echoes at Kailash Mansarovar in Lhasa and the Prambanan Temple in Indonesia. He expressed confidence that people of India will visit the temple, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

“Whether it is the journey to Kailash Mansarovar in Lhasa or this sacred Prambanan Temple in Indonesia, the same chant echoes everywhere, the chanting of the Mahamrityunjaya Mantra. Everyone was chanting ‘Om Namah Shivay.’ It was deeply touching.”

PM Modi termed his visit to the temple and offering prayers there as per the traditions a “deeply spiritual moment” of his life.

He said, “This is the second biggest identity of our heritage in the entire Southeast Asia. In this temple, there are statues of Lord Shiva, Goddess Durga, and Lord Ganesha. For centuries, worship has been going on with great faith in this temple. Today, I also have the good fortune of visiting this temple and offering prayers. I can say that this has been a deeply spiritual moment in my life.”

IANS