 "A girl sits among diyas, or oil lamps, in her yard during Diwali celebrations in Felicity, central Trinidad November 13, 2012. File Photo/Reuters")
A grand Ram Mandir could come soon to the twin-island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. The Caribbean nation is mulling over constructing a major temple in its capital, Port of Spain.
Trinidad and Tobago have a strong Hindu and Indian population. The latest initiative comes as the nation is trying to establish itself as a cultural and spiritual centre for Hinduism in the Caribbean.
Let’s take a closer look.
Ram temple in Trinidad and Tobago soon?
Trinidad and Tobago could get a majestic temple dedicated to Lord Ram.
Public Utilities Minister Barry Padarath has said the government is strongly backing the initiative. The talks are underway with religious leaders, including representatives behind the arrival of a Ram Lalla idol replica from Ayodhya to the Caribbean nation earlier this year.
“Trinidad and Tobago is often referred to as Ramayan country. The Ram Lalla initiative is something that we welcome. It is something we support,” Padarath said, underlining the twin-island nation’s important role in preserving Hindu traditions outside India, according to ANI.
The minister said that the government officials are actively holding discussions about the temple project.
The talks follow a proposal by Prem Bhandari, founder of the Overseas Friends of Ram Mandir in New York, to develop an “Ayodhya Nagari”, a Hindu religious spiritual hub in the Caribbean country.
This will cater to North American devotees who are unable to visit Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh.
Bhandari presented the idea to Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister Kamala Persad-Bissessar.
In May 2025, a replica of the Ram Lalla idol from Ayodhya’s temple was unveiled in Trinidad. The grand event, jointly organised by Bhandari and Amit Alagh, chair of the Ayodhya Shri Ram Organisation in Trinidad and Tobago, attracted a crowd of more than 10,000 devotees.
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More ShortsHow Indians arrived in Trinidad and Tobago
The arrival of Indians in the Caribbean country can be traced back to the 19th century. Between 1845 and 1917, the Indian subcontinent sent about 143,000 indentured workers to Trinidad.
Most of these Indian migrants, often referred to as Girmitiyas, came from the northern states of present-day Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. They faced tough conditions in the Caribbean nation, including low pay and social isolation.
Over the years, the Indian community established itself in the twin-island nation, with its contributions ranging across sectors — from medicine to entrepreneurship and politics.
Today, people with Indian roots make up 42 per cent of the about 1.4 million (14 lakh) population of Trinidad and Tobago. Of these, 240,000 people are believed to be Hindus.
The nation’s PM Kamla Persad-Bissessar has ties to India. Her great-grandfather migrated from Bhelupur village in Bihar’s Buxar to the Caribbean during British rule as an indentured labourer.
In 2012, Kamla visited her ancestral village in Bihar, where she received a heartfelt welcome from the local community.
Why Ram temple would be special
A Ram temple will be an addition to the many existing Hindu shrines across the twin-island nation.
According to Public Utilities Minister Padarath, Trinidad and Tobago has become a “mecca” in the region for Hindu religious expression. The recitations of the Bhagwat Gita and Ramayan have been continued across generations since Indian bonded labourers arrived in the 19th century.
“A lot of the cultural and religious expression of India, through Hinduism in particular, has been maintained and kept alive here,” he was quoted as saying by ANI.
Padarath said that the proposed Ram temple would serve many purposes beyond a place of worship, including cultural education, community gatherings, spiritual activities, and tourism.
The proposed temple’s connection to the sacred site in Ayodhya is expected to attract pilgrims from across the diaspora.
“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 minister promised “major announcements” in the coming months about the temple project and other initiatives to support Hindu religious life in the country.
With inputs from agencies