Indian Community in Russia requested for Hindu Temple, ahead of PM Modi's visit in July

A Hindu temple has been demanded by Indian residents of Russia ahead of Prime Minister Modi's July visit. For Hindus in Russia, the Hindu temple will function as a hub, a community, and a place of worship.

For a religious purpose, the Indian community in Russia has come together again. Sammy Kotwani, the president of the Indian Business Alliance and the Indian cultural and national center "Sita," announced his plan to erect the first Hindu building in Moscow, Russia.

The third-largest religion in the world, Hinduism, has been steadily expanding in Russia, a nation best recognized for its Eastern Orthodox Church. Russia has a large Christian population, but Hindu temples and communal groups are beginning to grow. Hindu cultural centers are significant because they provide a secure environment for the neighborhood. In Russia, Hindu associations function not only as a place of worship but also as a center for communal development initiatives.

This evolution in Russia exemplifies unity in diversity—how a nation may flourish while accommodating the coexistence of other religions, honoring the nation and its customs, and adjusting to outside influences.

Russia's Hinduism: When and How

Around the end of the 20th century, during the perestroika period, Hinduism—which is primarily practiced in Southeast Asian nations like Nepal and India—began to spread throughout Russia. The term "restructuring," or "perestroika," refers to a period when the goal was to break the spell of economic and political stagnation. The program encourages immigrants to live and work in Russia, regardless of their ethnicity or faith. Hindu views in the Soviet Union were primarily atheistic during the 1990s; yet, things like Indian publications, yoga, and visits from spirituality served to shed light on these beliefs.

The religion of Hindus in Moscow

As ties between Russia and India grow closer, the Russian government has responded to the Hindu aspirations with particular sincerity. The Russian city, of Moscow, is home to a plethora of spiritual locations, such as Hindu temples and community centers. Before Prime Minister Modi's travel to Moscow on July 8, 2024, to have bilateral meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin under the much-delayed annual summit process, the Indian community in Moscow has urged the construction of a Hindu temple structure, or mandir, in the capital. The cultural constructions are not limited to the capital; they are found throughout Russia, indicating the acceptance of Hinduism on a broad scale.

People are free to practice their faith in Russia under the law, and the local community and government have both shown this. A Hindu celebration was recently accepted by the people of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church's Korsun-Shevchenkivskyi Diocese, demonstrating a newfound openness among people.