The Government of Cambodia is apparently worried over the construction of Viraat Ramayana Temple in at Kesaria in East Champaran district of Bihar. The apprehensions come over the fact that the temple would have similar architecture to the World Famous Angkor Wat Temple. Some reports have claimed that the temple would be an exact replica of Angkor Wat Temple.
Proposed Model of Viraat Ramayana Temple
The Cambodian Government is worried because Angkor Wat Temple attracts a large number of tourist from around the world and a significant number of tourists from India. The Construction of Viraat Ramayana Temple might negatively impact the tourist inflow to Cambodia.
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Cambodia’s acting ambassador to India, Hun Han visited the proposed site of Viraat Ramayan Mandir on Sunday. He said that the Cambodian government had sought a status report on the proposed temple. He said that the temple’s model is 60% similar to Angkor Wat which is not acceptable to the Cambodian Government and he would raise this issue with Ministry of External Affairs.
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Meanwhile former IPS Officer Acharya Kishore Kunal, who heads the Mahavir Mandir Trust and Bihar State Religious Trust Board, which is constructing the temple has termed the apprehensions of Cambodian Government unnecessary.
Kunal argued that the Viraat Ramayana Temple would have 18 towers compared to 9 towers of Angkor Wat. Additionally, this temple would borrow features from several other temples including Rameshwaram Temple. The proposed temple would be the largest Hindu Shrine in the world and is being constructed at an extimated budget of Rs. 500 Crores.