Hundreds of devotees gathered at the temple to witness the unveiling of idols of several deities and participate in the holy ceremonies
The first grand Hindu temple at Madagascar’s capital city Antananarivo was inaugurated on July 26. Hundreds of devotees gathered at the temple to witness the unveiling of idols of several deities and participate in the holy ceremonies on that day. Abhay Kumar, India’s ambassador to Madagascar and Comoros, was also present on the occasion as he inaugurated the temple and handed it over to the Indian diaspora.
Speaking at the inauguration, Sanjeev Hematlal, President of the Hindu Samaj, said that the opening of the temple was a matter of great pride today for the Hindu community in Madagascar. The country has a few small temples in major cities such as Mahajunga and Antsiranana, but this one was the first temple in the capital Antananarivo.
Madagascar has been India’s key trade partner with bilateral trade reaching around $400 million in 2020-21, a result of multiple agreements signed in areas related to education, health, information, culture and tourism
The island nation, which has a population of over 26 million, houses over 20,000 Indians. 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.
Madagascar has been India’s key trade partner with bilateral trade reaching around $400 million in 2020-21, a result of multiple agreements signed in areas related to education, health, information, culture and tourism.
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