Modi thanks Indonesia for preserving Prambanan Temple heritage

Narendra Modi visited Prambanan with President Prabowo Subianto and thanked Indonesia for preserving the temple complex. The joint conservation project underscores how shared heritage is strengthening India-Indonesia ties.

In Short

• The leaders visited the UNESCO site during Modi's three-nation regional tour
• India and Indonesia signed a letter for restoration assistance a day earlier
• Modi said Prambanan strongly reflects the deep cultural bond between nations

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday thanked Indonesia and its people for preserving the "grand heritage" of the Prambanan Temple complex, saying cultural legacy connects people across geographies. Visiting the UNESCO World Heritage Site with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, Modi also said it was his honour to be part of the inauguration of a joint conservation project for the temple complex.

Speaking at the site, Modi said the cultural bond between India and Indonesia could be felt strongly at Prambanan. "In conversations I hear, the winds here carry a scent of culture. That scent which we feel every moment on the soil of India. This scent, this cultural heritage, connects us," he said.

Modi praised Indonesia for preserving the temple over centuries. "1200 years..I thank the people here (in Indonesia)..the way they have preserved this grand heritage, and maintained it, and done it with a devotional faith. So, I also wholeheartedly greet people of Indonesia and all the rulers (of Indonesia) who have been, so far," he said.

The two leaders visited the historic site a day after India and Indonesia exchanged a Letter of Intent to begin a conservation and restoration project for the temple complex with assistance from India. Referring to his visit, Modi said, "I saw chants of 'Mahamrityunjay' and 'Om Namah Shiva' being offered in this temple; this indeed touched the heart." He added, "As we begin the conservation and restoration work at Prambanan Temple complex, which is a UNESCO World Heritage, I am very assured that Indian tourists will definitely visit this place."

Modi landed in Jakarta on Monday to a red-carpet welcome in the first leg of his three-nation tour, which will also cover Australia and New Zealand, with a focus on strengthening cooperation in areas such as trade, security and rare-earth minerals under the India-Indonesia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership of 2018. His visit to Prambanan highlighted the cultural links between the two countries alongside the new conservation effort.

With PTI Inputs

- Ends