'Om Namah Shivaya' at Prambanan: PM Modi's Temple Visit Rekindles a Civilisational Bond Across the Seas
New Delhi/ Bhopal July 8, 2026
A simple social media post by Narendra Modi, "Om Namah Shivaya at Prambanan Temple in Indonesia!"-carried a message that went far beyond diplomacy. As the Prime Minister offered prayers at the nearly 1,000-year-old Prambanan Temple alongside Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, the moment became a reminder that India's civilisational links with Southeast Asia have endured for more than a millennium.
The visit was not merely to a historic monument. Prambanan, the largest Hindu temple complex in Indonesia and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is dedicated to the Hindu Trimurti—Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma. Built in the ninth century, its towering Shiva temple remains one of the finest examples of Hindu architecture outside India, reflecting how Sanatan traditions travelled across oceans through trade, scholarship and cultural exchange rather than conquest.
For many Indians, the image of "Om Namah Shivaya" resonating in the world's largest Muslim-majority nation carried its own significance. Indonesia may have a Muslim-majority population today, yet its cultural landscape continues to preserve deep Hindu-Buddhist influences. From the Ramayana and Mahabharata to Sanskrit-derived names and temple architecture, many strands of India's ancient civilisational heritage continue to live in Indonesian society.
Prambanan itself tells that story in stone. The temple walls are adorned with intricate carvings narrating the Ramayana, while the celebrated Ramayana Ballet performed against the backdrop of the temple continues to keep the epic alive for new generations. It is a reminder that the story of Lord Rama crossed the seas centuries ago and became part of Java's own cultural identity.
The Prime Minister's visit also carried a practical dimension. During bilateral discussions in Jakarta, India announced that the Archaeological Survey of India will assist Indonesian authorities in conserving and restoring parts of the ancient temple complex. The initiative marks a new chapter in cultural cooperation, with heritage conservation becoming another pillar of the growing India-Indonesia partnership.
Speaking before the visit, Prime Minister Modi described Prambanan as a timeless symbol of the shared cultural heritage of India and Indonesia. The conservation project, to be launched jointly with President Prabowo, reflects what both governments describe as a commitment to preserving a common civilisational legacy for future generations.
The visit also highlighted another important aspect of the India-Indonesia partnership. Both countries agreed to work together for the conservation of the ancient Prambanan Temple, with the Archaeological Survey of India extending technical support for restoration and preservation.
In recent years, India's cultural diplomacy has increasingly focused on reconnecting with these shared roots. Whether through the restoration of heritage sites, promotion of yoga, celebration of Indian epics abroad or partnerships in archaeology, New Delhi has sought to strengthen relationships through civilisational links that long predate modern nation states. The Prambanan conservation initiative fits naturally into that broader approach.
The Prime Minister's brief invocation-"Om Namah Shivaya"-therefore resonated on more than one level. It reflected personal devotion, acknowledged a shared cultural inheritance and highlighted the enduring journey of Hindu philosophy beyond India's shores.
More than a thousand years after Prambanan was built, the ancient temple continues to stand not merely as a monument of stone, but as a bridge between two nations connected by history, faith, culture and a civilisational memory that has outlived kingdoms, empires and centuries.
With the Indonesia leg of his three-nation tour concluding on a high note, Prime Minister Narendra Modi departed from Yogyakarta for Melbourne, Australia, where he will continue his diplomatic engagements.