Trinidad and Tobago plans to build Ram Mandir, eyes role as West’s Hindu heritage hub
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Trinidad and Tobago is considering plans to establish a Ram Temple in its capital city
The initiative follows the unveiling of a replica of the Ram Lalla idol from Ayodhya’s Ram Mandir in Trinidad in May 2025. Earlier this year, more than 10,000 worshippers gathered in Port of Spain to welcome the idol replica, underscoring their cultural and spiritual connection to India.
Trinidad and Tobago is considering plans to establish a Ram Mandir (temple) in its capital city, as the Caribbean nation seeks to strengthen its position as a cultural and spiritual hub for Hinduism in the western hemisphere. Public Utilities Minister Barry Padarath announced the government’s strong support for the initiative during discussions with religious leaders, including representatives who facilitated the arrival of a Ram Lalla idol replica from Ayodhya earlier this year. “Trinidad and Tobago is often referred to as ‘Ramayan country’,” Padarath said, highlighting the nation’s unique role in preserving Hindu traditions outside India. “The Ram Lalla initiative is something that we welcome—it is something we support.”
Padarath said that government officials are actively exploring ways to advance the temple project, viewing it as both a spiritual endeavour and a potential tourism draw for the twin-island nation.
Prem Bhandari, founder of the Overseas Friends of Ram Mandir in New York, has proposed the creation of an “Ayodhya Nagari”—a Hindu spiritual and cultural hub for devotees in North America who may not be able to travel to the holy city of Ayodhya in India.
Bhandari presented the proposal to Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar.
The initiative follows the unveiling of a replica of the Ram Lalla idol from Ayodhya’s Ram Mandir in Trinidad in May 2025.
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Earlier this year, more than 10,000 worshippers gathered in Port of Spain to welcome the idol replica, underscoring their cultural and spiritual connection to India.
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The minister said that Trinidad and Tobago has become a “mecca” for Hindu religious expression in the Caribbean, where traditions such as Bhagwat Katha and Ramayan recitations have been preserved for generations since the arrival of Indian indentured labourers in the 19th century.
He added that the proposed temple would serve multiple purposes beyond worship, including education, cultural preservation, and tourism.
The government views the Ram Mandir project as an opportunity to promote religious tourism, while deepening awareness and devotion to Lord Ram’s teachings among local and international devotees.
Padarath said that “major announcements” regarding the Ram Mandir and related initiatives to strengthen Hindu religious life in the country are expected in the coming months.
