What’s Inside Iran’s 135-Year-Old Vishnu Temple? Amitabh Bachchan Shares Video On X Amid Us War

Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan on Sunday shared an interesting anecdote about Iran’s history. Taking to his social media, the superstar shared a video showing an ancient Vishnu temple that is located in the country’s port city Bandar Abbas. The video sparked intrigue among internet users with people discussing the centuries-old historical ties between the two countries. However, the temple is not open for worship currently, according to reports. Authorities have conserved it as a historical monument. 

“The Ancient Hindu Vishnu Temple in Abbas Bandar, Iran .. Built in 1892 during the Qajar era, it was constructed for Hindu traders from India working in the city .. the song .. in Persian,” Amitabh Bachchan captioned the video, which is going viral on Instagram and X.

Hindus In Iran

Iran is a Muslim-majority country with 99.4 % of the 90 million population belonging to Islam. Over 86% people belong to the Shia sect while near 10% follow Sunni Islam. According to researchers, there are around 20 thousand Hindus living in Iran. Most of these have migrated from Gujarat for trade. In addition to the Vishnu temple in Bandar Abbas, there is an Arya Samaj temple, also, which is located in Zahedan.

Inside The Vishnu Temple In Bandar Abbas 

The shrine known as the Bandar Abbas temple is situated in Iran’s Hormozgan province. It lies along the strategically sensitive areas – Strait of Hormuz – which has witnessed intense clashes between Iran and the US since the war started in February. This temple was built by traders, unlike Kings, according to Iranian poet and historian Mohammad Ali Sadid al-Saltaneh. The temple was reportedly built in 1888. According to reports, it took traders four years to build this temple and serves as a “Little India” in the country. The temple is known for Iran’s diversity and culture of co-existence. The architecture of the temple is a combination of Indo-Iranian art. Both Indian and Persian architecture is found inside the temple. 

Its dome is whitewashed, has symbolic motifs, and the prayer hall is similar to Hindu temples in India. 

The temple has also adopted the local architecture. The traders used local materials like clay, lime, mortar, and coral stone. While keeping the Indian design, the dome resembles the Iranian minaret. A spiral stairway that leads to the rooftop is an example of Iranian architecture. 

Also Read: Why Iran Is Threatening the Subsea Cables Beneath the Strait of Hormuz