India participates in the preservation and restoration of the Dong Duong Buddhist monastery.

The Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Quang Nam province is studying a proposal from India regarding the preservation and restoration of Dong Duong Buddhist Monastery (Thang Binh district, Quang Nam province).

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Previously, the Indian Embassy in Hanoi had sent a letter to the People's Committee of Quang Nam province providing feedback on the restoration and rehabilitation of this historical site.

According to Mr. Subhash P. Gupta, Deputy Ambassador of India, the project to preserve and restore the Dong Duong Buddhist monastery was agreed upon in the Joint Statement adopted by the Prime Ministers of India and Vietnam in December 2020. Following the meeting, a team of experts from the Archaeological Survey of India traveled to Quang Nam to prepare a detailed report for the project from December 10 to January 19, 2024.

The Đồng Dương Buddhist monastery site now only has the wall of the Sáng tower remaining. (Photo: Quảng Nam Newspaper)

After surveying the Dong Duong Buddhist Monastery area, the expert team concluded that currently, only one easily recognizable structure remains in the area, suitable for conservation and restoration. Archaeological excavations at the Dong Duong Buddhist Monastery have been conducted in the past. Therefore, to obtain any further assessment of the area, clearing vegetation and land to identify archaeological structures requiring restoration is necessary. The boundaries of the Dong Duong Buddhist Monastery also need to be redefined.

The Indian expert team requested that Vietnam share reports and documents related to previous archaeological excavations to study and prepare a detailed report on the project.

Dong Duong Buddhist Monastery was one of the Buddhist monasteries of the Champa Kingdom, and among the largest monasteries in Southeast Asia at that time. Located in Dong Duong village, Binh Dinh Bac commune, Thang Binh district, Quang Nam province, the monastery complex was recognized as a Special National Monument in 2019.

According to historical records, the Dong Duong Buddhist Monastery was built in 875 by King Indravarman II of the Champa Kingdom to worship Laksmindra-Lokesvara, the Bodhisattva who protected the dynasty. During the French colonial period, the French conducted numerous excavations at the Dong Duong Buddhist Monastery and discovered many valuable artifacts. The most notable is a bronze statue of the Bodhisattva Tara, over 1.1 meters tall, considered one of the most beautiful in Southeast Asia. During the war, the site suffered severe damage; today, only a section of the tower wall, known locally as the "Bright Tower," remains, along with the foundations of other architectural structures and some buried decorative objects.

Source: https://thoidai.com.vn/an-do-tham-gia-bao-ton-khoi-phuc-phat-vien-dong-duong-196896.html