Yogyakarta: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday visited the historic Prambanan Temple complex in Indonesia along with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, offering prayers at the nearly 1,000-year-old Hindu shrine dedicated to the Trimurti—Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma. The visit marked a significant cultural milestone during PM Modi’s three-nation diplomatic tour and underscored the centuries-old civilisational ties between India and Indonesia.
PM Modi reflects on spiritual connection with Lord Shiva
During the visit, Prime Minister Modi spoke about his lifelong spiritual association with Lord Shiva and described it as his “great fortune” to contribute to the preservation of important Hindu temples.
“It is my good fortune that I always get an opportunity to connect to Lord Shiv. I was born in Vadnagar where Hatkeshwar Mahadev is located. Somnath Jyotirlinga is the first Jyotirlinga and is located in Gujarat. I have the direct responsibility for its development. My political constituency of Kashi has Kashi Vishwanath Mahadev, which has continued to bless me. Be it the redevelopment of Kedarnath or that of Ujjain Mahakal, or my visit here, I received the opportunity to start the renovation here. I consider this great fortune,” the Prime Minister said.
Earlier, PM Modi shared an aerial view of the temple complex on social media after travelling by helicopter from Yogyakarta to the UNESCO World Heritage Site, describing it as “The majestic Prambanan Temple!”
India and Indonesia strengthen cultural partnership
The temple visit followed bilateral talks between PM Modi and President Prabowo Subianto, during which both leaders exchanged a Letter of Intent for the preservation and restoration of the Prambanan Temple complex.
The initiative forms part of the broader efforts to deepen the India-Indonesia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership while reinforcing cooperation across culture, heritage conservation and regional engagement in the Indo-Pacific.
Both countries also reaffirmed their commitment to promoting a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific through stronger strategic collaboration.
Prambanan reflects centuries-old India-Indonesia ties
Located on Indonesia’s Java island, Prambanan is the country’s largest Hindu temple complex and the second-largest in Southeast Asia after Cambodia’s Angkor Wat.
Spread across nearly 40 hectares, the complex originally comprised around 240 temples and remains one of Indonesia’s most significant cultural and religious landmarks.
Built during the 9th century under the Hindu Mataram Kingdom, the temple is believed to have been commissioned by King Rakai Pikatan and completed by his successor Lokapala.
At the heart of the complex stand three towering temples dedicated to Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma. The 47-metre Shiva Temple remains the tallest and most prominent structure within the site.
Ramayana carvings showcase shared heritage
The temple walls feature intricate carvings depicting scenes from the Ramayana and other Hindu epics, reflecting the cultural exchanges that flourished between the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia through ancient maritime trade routes.
These sculptures continue to attract historians, archaeologists and tourists from across the world and stand as enduring symbols of the shared civilisational heritage between India and Indonesia.
UNESCO site to benefit from restoration project
Prambanan was abandoned during the 10th century, with historians attributing its decline to political changes in Java as well as volcanic activity from nearby Mount Merapi. Over the centuries, earthquakes caused extensive damage to many structures before restoration work began during the Dutch colonial period in the 19th century.
Large-scale archaeological reconstruction carried out between 1913 and 1953 restored the principal temples, while UNESCO recognised Prambanan as a World Heritage Site in 1991.
The newly announced India-supported restoration initiative is expected to further preserve one of Asia’s most significant Hindu monuments while reinforcing the long-standing cultural and historical bonds between New Delhi and Jakarta.