A toast to communal harmony: Bihar Muslims donate land for world’s largest Hindu temple

By NewsGram Staff Writer

Setting a benchmark for communal harmony in India, Muslims in Patna, Bihar, have decided to donate the land for the construction of world's largest Hindu temple, which will also hold a seating capacity of more than 20,000 devotees.

Acharya Kishore Kunal, Secretary of the Patna-based cash-rich Mahavir Mandir Trust and also a former Indian Police Service officer, said, "Muslims have not only donated land, they have also provided land at a nominal rate for construction of the world's largest Hindu temple. Without help of Muslims, it would have been difficult realize this dream project."

"It is usual for Hindus to donate land for temple, but it is unusual for Muslims to donate land for the construction of temple," he added.

The projected cost for the construction is Rs.500 crore and the work will start from June at Janki Nagar near Kesaria in East Champaran district, about 150 km from Patna.

Around 35 Muslim families were having their land in the middle of the proposed area for the construction. There were a few families who had land along the main road that connects to the project site, but still they offered their land for the successful completion of the pious cause.

"Some Muslims donated lands and others helped and supported us to purchase their land for the temple. If Muslims had not come forward, the temple project was sure to have got delayed," Acharya Kunal informed.

Mahavir Mandir Trust has obtained 200 acres of land out of which both the Hindu community and the Muslim community donated about 50 acres, and the rest of the land has been purchased.

Prior to this remarkable example of communal brotherhood, Muslims had also helped in the construction of a Hindu temple dedicated to Goddess Durga in Gaya district, another temple was dedicated to God Shiva in Begusarai district and in Sitamarhi district.

The construction of the temple will be overtaken by Valecha Construction Company. The temple will be 2,500 feet long, 1,296 feet wide and 379 feet high.

Gurgaon based Radheyshyam Sharma, Director of Ingenious Studio Pvt. Ltd., who is looking after the temple's architectural aspects, said the Virat Ramayan Mandir will be taller than the world famous 12th century Angkor Wat Temple complex in Cambodia, which is 215 feet high. According to him, "No temple in the world has such a huge seating capacity as this one will have."

He said, "The complex will comprise 18 temples with high spires and its Shiv temple would have the largest Shiva linga in the world. The temple will also have the idols of Ram, Sita, Luv and Kush."

Sharma added that the temple was to be named "Virat Angkor Wat Ram Mandir," however, following the objections raised by people of Cambodia, name of the temple was changed.