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- Published: February 2, 2025 18:23
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday expressed his joy at being part of the Maha Kumbabhishekam of the Murugan Temple in Jakarta, highlighting the cultural and spiritual ties between India and Indonesia.
Virtually delivering remarks at the Maha Kumbabhishegam of Shri Sanathana Dharma Aalayam in Jakarta, Indonesia, PM Modi emphasised that despite the geographical distance, the connection between the two nations remains strong, built on a “heritage, history, and faith.”
“It is my pleasure that I have become a part of the Maha Kumbabishekam of the Murugan Temple in Jakarta. I am far from Jakarta but my mind is close to it just like India and Indonesia are close to each other. I extend my wishes to all the people there on the occasion of Maha Kumbabhishegam,” PM Modi said in is remarks.
“To the people of India and Indonesia, our relationships are not just geopolitical, We are associated with culture. We are associated with a history dating back to thousands of years. Our relationship is about heritage, science, faith, and spirituality,” he added.
The Jakarta Murugan Temple, also known as Shri Sanathana Dharma Aalayam, has a unique 40 metres tall Raja Gopuram named as Visera Gopuram with 20 metres tall lord Muruga statue in the front of it. The Kumbhabhishekam of the temple is being held today.
The temple’s major facilities include multipurpose hall with a capacity of 1,200 people, Tiruvalluar Mandapam, classroom for the languages and Bhagavad Geeta, Hindu cultural and folk – dance centres, Museum of Indian culture in Indonesia, Yoga and meditation rooms, transit place, big and small meeting rooms, free natural healing clinic, groceries shop, small and big warehouse, library for around 2000 Hinduism books and Gurukul House.
According to the Consulate General of India in Medan, Indonesia, India and Indonesia have shared two millennia of close cultural and commercial contacts. The Hindu, Buddhist and later Muslim faith travelled to Indonesia from the shores of India. The stories from great epics of Ramayana and Mahabharata form source of Indonesian folk art and dramas. The shared culture, colonial history and post-independence goals of political sovereignty, economic self-sufficiency and independent foreign policy have unifying effect on the bilateral relations.