Ramanathaswamy Temple Backdrop Welcomes BRICS Leaders at 18th Summit

The 12th-century Ramanathaswamy Temple in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu, formed the visual backdrop as Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed world leaders to the 18th BRICS Leaders' Summit at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on Saturday. The choice of the temple highlighted India's civilisational history to the Global South.

Against this backdrop, the day's first handshake took place between PM Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping. The two leaders spent some time examining the 3D backdrop, with PM Modi explaining the site to the Chinese President. Tamil Nadu had earlier hosted Xi during his last India visit in 2019.

The Rameswaram temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is counted among the 12 sacred Jyotirlingas in Hindu belief. Its outer corridor, shown in the image at Bharat Mandapam, is the longest among all temples in India and features over 1,200 intricately carved stone pillars.

As dignitaries walked the red carpet to the welcome spot, murals depicting 'yogasanas' were on display. At the summit venue, artists from BRICS member countries created 'Sangam' — a mural showing the Summit logo at the centre, with the iconic Hawa Mahal of Jaipur, flanked by a pair of elephants.

According to a Tamil Nadu government website, the Ramanathaswamy Temple was under the care of a monk up to the 10th century. In the 12th century, Parakiramabaghu, the King of Ceylon, built the sanctum sanctorum. Three hundred years later, Ramanathapuram King Udayan Sethupathi and a Vaisya from Nagoore built its western tower and compound walls. Between 1897 and 1904, the 126-foot-high nine-tiered East Rajagopuram was completed by the family of Nattukkottai. Hindu mythology holds that Lord Ram consecrated the shivalingam here after returning from Lanka.

During India's G20 Presidency in 2023, a replica of the Konark Wheel from Odisha's Sun Temple served as the primary backdrop for Modi's welcome handshakes with global leaders. It was chosen to represent India's ancient heritage, wisdom, and advanced civilisation, with Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam as the G20 theme. That phrase, originating from the ancient Sanskrit text Hitopadesha, roughly translates to 'the whole earth is one family'.