On Friday (December 17), President Ram Nath Kovind inaugurated the reconstructed Ramna Kali temple in Ramna, a part of the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka where the landmark Suhrawardy Udyan (the former Ramna Race Course) is located.
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On March 27, 1971, the Pakistani army destroyed the temple1 and massacred 85 Hindus, including priests and devotees, according to ‘Minorities and the State: Changing Social and Political Landscape of Bengal’, an edited volume published in 2011.
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- 1. The temple in the area, dedicated to the Goddess Kali, is believed to have been built during the Mughal period. Professor Muntassir Mamoon, one of the most eminent historians of Bangladesh, told The Indian Express that the temple was around 400 years old, even though it is difficult to pinpoint a year in which it was built.
After the inauguration of the temple, President Ramnath Kobind said, “Mother Kali’s blessing is behind the construction of this temple.” Kobind said, “This morning I went to the historic Ramna Kali temple. I am fortunate to have been able to inaugurate the newly renovated temple. This would not have been possible without the blessings of Mother Kali.“ Kobind further said, “I have come to know that many people from India and Bangladesh have helped in the construction of this temple along with the governments of the two countries which were destroyed by the Pakistani army during the war. Many people were killed in this attack of Pak army. This temple symbolizes the cultural and spiritual bonds between the people of India and Bangladesh. Visiting this temple marked a happy ending for my visit to Bangladesh.” [Source: PTI]