'Ramayana' country: This tiny Caribbean nation is building a grand Ram Mandir

Further details and major announcements regarding the Ram Mandir and related initiatives will be revealed in the coming months. (File photo: Ayodhya Ram Mandir)

Trinidad & Tobago, a twin-island nation of 1.4 million people with a substantial Hindu population of around 350,000, is set to construct a grand Ram Mandir in its capital, Port of Spain, as part of efforts to establish itself as a cultural and spiritual center for Hinduism in the Caribbean.

Public Utilities Minister Barry Padarath said the government is actively supporting the initiative and has been in discussions with religious leaders, including those who facilitated the arrival of a replica of the Ram Lalla idol from Ayodhya earlier this year.

“The Ram Lalla initiative is something that we welcome. It is something we support,” he said, hailing the nation’s enduring role in preserving Hindu traditions outside India.

The project follows a proposal by Prem Bhandari, founder of the Overseas Friends of Ram Mandir in New York, to create an “Ayodhya Nagari” in Trinidad & Tobago. The hub is intended to serve North American devotees who cannot travel to Ayodhya in India. Bhandari presented the idea to Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, emphasizing both spiritual and cultural objectives.

In May 2025, a replica of the Ram Lalla idol was unveiled in Port of Spain in a ceremony organised by Bhandari and Amit Alagh, chairperson of the Ayodhya Shri Ram Organisation in Trinidad & Tobago. The event drew over 10,000 devotees and marked a milestone in the nation’s Hindu religious life.

Minister Padarath noted that Hindu traditions, including Bhagwat Katha and Ramayan recitations, have been preserved across generations since Indian indentured laborers arrived in the 19th century. He described Trinidad & Tobago as a “mecca” for Hindu worship in the Caribbean and said the new temple would serve multiple purposes beyond worship, including cultural education, community gatherings, spiritual activities, and tourism.

“The Ram Mandir will not only be a place of devotion but also a hub for cultural preservation and a destination for pilgrims from across the global Indian diaspora,” Padarath added.

The government has stated that further details and major announcements regarding the Ram Mandir and related initiatives will be revealed in the coming months.