Inside the 134-year-old Vishnu temple in Iran that Amitabh Bachchan posted about

Ever since the US-Iran war began on February 28, there’s been an unexpected surge in all things related to the Islamic Republic. People have been researching Tehran’s history and its ties with arch-rivals, the United States and Israel.

And on Sunday (May 17), Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan jumped on the bandwagon, sharing a video on Instagram, featuring an ancient Hindu Vishnu temple located in Bandar Abbas, Iran.

Since being posted, the reel has gone viral, sparking fascination over the deep historical ties between India and Iran that many have forgotten.

Amitabh Bachchan’s viral post

>> On Sunday, the Bollywood actor posted a video of an ancient Hindu Vishnu temple located in Bandar Abbas, Iran.

>> Posting the video on Instagram, Bachchan wrote, “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.”

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A Vishnu temple built by Indian traders

>> But what do we know about this ancient Hindu temple?

>> Known as the Bandar Abbas Vishnu Temple, it is situated in the Hormozgan province of Bandar Abbas. Bandar Abbas lies along the Strait of Hormuz, a geopolitically sensitive chokepoint and key global shipping route.

>> Unlike many other structures constructed by kings and rulers, this temple, dedicated to the Hindu God, Vishnu, was built by the traders, who engaged in trade with the region. According to Mohammad Ali Sadid al-Saltaneh, an Iranian historian and poet, the traders were allowed to build the temple in 1888.

>> The construction took four years, after which the Hindu community had a place of worship, reflecting how the two communities co-existed peacefully.

>> The Vishnu temple also served as a “Little India” in Iran, where people met, shared their lives, and supported each other.

>> What is truly notable about the Vishnu temple in Bandar Abbas is its architecture — a combination of Indian and Persian styles. The temple’s whitewashed dome, symbolic motifs, and prayer halls resemble Hindu religious sites found in India, though adapted to local Iranian aesthetics.

>> The temple has a central dome, which is usually seen in Islamic mosques than in Hindu temples. There are 72 small towers with Hindu figures on the outside.

>> Materials like coral stone, clay, lime, and mortar were used in its construction, showing the use of local resources. The dome also has decorative elements that resemble minarets, while still keeping some Indian design touches.

>> There’s a spiral stairway that leads to the rooftop. This is a classic example of Iranian architecture. The structure of the building is such that ample sunlight illuminates the entire sanctum.

>> Today, the Vishnu temple stands is no longer active for worship. However, it has been preserved as a historical monument by Iranian cultural heritage authorities. It serves as a rare and touching testament to India and Iran’s historical ties.

Hindus in Iran

>> Amitabh Bachchan’s post about the temple, which has got the internet buzzing, has also got people curious about the Hindu community in the Islamic Republic.

>> Iran has a population of around 90 million people, and about 99.4 per cent of them follow Islam. Among them, nearly 89.46 per cent are Shia Muslims, and about 9.94 per cent are Sunni Muslims.

>> People from other religions, such as Hindus, Christians and Zoroastrians, also live in Iran. According to the Pew Research Centre, around 20,000 Hindus were living in Iran in 2010, and this number remained almost the same in 2020.

>> Most of the Hindus in Iran are originally from Gujarat, and are traders, workers, and their families.

>> Interestingly, the Vishnu temple isn’t the only Hindu religious site in Iran. There is an Arya Samaj Temple located in Zahedan, the capital of Sistan and Baluchestan Province, Iran.

With inputs from agencies