An Indian Muslim man has donated land worth millions of rupees for building a Hindu temple touted as the world's tallest religious monument.
Ishtiyaq Ahmad Khan, 52, donated 2.8 hectares of land estimated to be worth 25 million rupees ($33,000) for construction of the Virat Ramayan Mandir in Kaithwalia area in East Champaran district in Bihar state.
Mr Khan, who runs a petroleum transportation business, on Monday donated the land to the temple trust that is constructing the colossal religious site.
The temple is an initiative by Mahavir Mandir Trust and is designed to be 73 metres high, taller than the 12th century Buddhist temple complex Angkor Wat in Cambodia which stands at 65.5m.
Mr Khan had earlier sold a piece of land to the temple at a discounted price and motivated other villages to extend help on the construction of the temple.
“People are fighting over Hindu-Muslims, temple-mosques in the country. I wanted to show them my respect for all the religions and do my part as a human being,” Mr Khan told The National.
“Majority of the land in the village is owned by our family. I felt it as my responsibility to do something for the construction of the temple,” he said.
Mr Khan’s initiative has touched many hearts in the country where tension is soaring between majority Hindus and minority Muslims.
“He has set an example for the society … this is a great gesture to promote religious harmony,” Acharya Kishore Kunal, chief of Mahavir Mandir Trust, told The National.
Initial designs of the temple drew influence from Angkor Wat, a Unesco World Heritage site, but Mr Kunal said the Cambodian government had objected to the plan.
The design was later changed and is now inspired by various Hindu temples including the renowned Lord Shiva temple in Rameshwaram in southern Tamil Nadu.
The complex will be spread across sprawling 48 hectares of land and will have 18 temples with towering spires and a Shiva temple with the world’s largest Shivling, a unique form of Lord Shiva’s idol — measuring 10 metres both in height and circumference.
Building will begin next month and is expected to take five years. The cost of the construction is estimated at 5 billion rupees ($65.7m).
Mr Kunal said everyone would be welcome at the temple, regardless of religion or caste.
“The temple would be open for everyone … there would not be any religious divide,” he said.
