Madagascar's capital Antananarivo gets first Hindu temple; Indians gather in huge numbers

Madagascar's capital city Antananarivo got its first grand Hindu temple on July 26 after years of being under construction. During the opening ceremony earlier in the day, hundreds of devotees swarmed the temple to witness the unveiling of idols of several deities and participate in the holy ceremonies. Abhay Kumar, India's ambassador to Madagascar and Coromos, was also present on the occasion as he inaugurated the temple and handed it over to the Indian diaspora. 

(The newly-built temple in Antananarivo; Image: ANI)

Indians gather in huge numbers to inaugurate the temple

(Indians participating in the religious ceremonies; Image: ANI)

The inauguration saw the Indian diaspora show up in huge numbers to attend the religious ceremonies. While speaking at the inauguration, Sanjeev Hematlal, President of the Hindu Samaj, said that the opening of the temple is a matter of great pride today for the Hindu community in Madagascar. Notably, the country does have a few small temples in major cities such as Mahajunga and Antsiranana, however, this is the first temple in the capital Antananarivo.

(Image: ANI)

The island nation, which has a population of over 26 million, houses over 20,000 Indians and most of them are from the Gujarati community. Indians arrived in Madagascar in the late 18th century from Gujarat in small boats to engage in trade through the Indian Ocean, which has been a major contributor to improving bilateral ties between the countries. Notably, Madagascar has emerged as India's key trade partner with bilateral trade reaching around $400 million in 2020-21, which is a result of multiple agreements signed in areas related to education, health, information, culture and tourism. 

Hindu Temples outside India

The Southeast Asian region is the one part of the world that is scattered with temples of Hindu deities, thanks to the cultural influence of India. Among the most famous temples in this region is Nepal's Pashupatinath Temple, which is located on the banks of the Bagmati River and has won the tag of UNESCO world heritage site. Interestingly, it is considered the oldest Hindu temple in the Kathmandu region. 

The Angkor Wat temple in Cambodia is another famous temple that is spread across an area of 400 square kilometres. Also a UNESCO heritage site, it consists of the magnificent remains of the different capitals of the Khmer Empire, from the 9th to the 15th century. Malaysia's Sri Subramaniar Swamy Devasthanam is another popular temple that houses Lord Murugan's statue measuring 42.7 metres tall. Located near Kuala Lumpur, this temple is believed to have been built in 1890.

Image: ANI