Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed BRICS leaders at the Ramanathaswamy Temple in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu, during the 18th BRICS Leaders’ Summit in New Delhi. The 12th-century temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva, served as the visual backdrop for the event, emphasizing India’s civilisational history to the Global South. The temple’s outer corridor, featuring over 1,200 intricately carved stone pillars, was displayed as a 3D backdrop for Modi’s first handshake with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

The summit venue included a mural titled 'Sangam,' depicting the BRICS Summit logo at the center, flanked by a pair of elephants and the iconic Hawa Mahal of Jaipur. According to a Tamil Nadu government website, the Ramanathaswamy Temple was under the care of a monk up to the 10th century. In the 12th century, Parakiramabaghu, the King of Ceylon, built the sanctum sanctorum of the temple. Three hundred years later, Ramanathapuram King Udayan Sethupathi and a Vaisya from Nagoore constructed its western tower and compound walls.

Between 1897 and 1904, the 126-foot-high nine-tiered East Rajagopuram was completed by the family of Nattukkottai. According to Hindu mythology, Lord Ram consecrated the shivalingam here after returning from Lanka. During India’s G20 Presidency in 2023, a replica of the Konark Wheel from Odisha’s Sun Temple served as the primary backdrop for Modi’s welcome handshakes with global leaders, representing India’s ancient heritage, wisdom, and advanced civilisation.

The G20 theme, Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, is a phrase originating from the ancient Sanskrit text Hitopadesha and roughly translates to ‘the whole earth is one family.’ The use of the Ramanathaswamy Temple as a backdrop for the BRICS summit underscores India’s strategic emphasis on cultural diplomacy and historical continuity.

The event highlights the intersection of religious and political symbolism in India’s diplomatic engagements. The temple’s historical significance, including its association with Lord Ram, adds a layer of cultural resonance to Modi’s interactions with global leaders. The choice of the Ramanathaswamy Temple reflects a broader pattern of using India’s ancient heritage to project national identity and historical continuity on the global stage.

What remains unknown is the extent to which the temple’s cultural symbolism influenced the summit’s diplomatic outcomes. Additionally, the specific role of the temple’s architecture in shaping the summit’s visual narrative is not elaborated in the evidence. The absence of responses from critics or organisations means that the event’s broader implications and potential controversies remain unaddressed in the available information.