In 1962, a routine helicopter flight over the dense forests of Guatemala and Honduras led to a discovery that has since sparked considerable interest and debate among historians and archaeologists. Amidst the vast green expanse, a series of temples emerged, hidden from the modern world for centuries. Subsequent research has revealed these ancient structures with intriguing similarities to Hindu temples, raising questions about cultural exchanges across continents in ancient times.
The journey began when a pilot flying over the forests of northern Guatemala and Honduras noticed what appeared to be the ruins of ancient temples. Nestled deep within the jungle, these temples displayed architectural features and iconography reminiscent of Hindu temples. This discovery prompted a series of expeditions and research studies to uncover the origins and significance of these structures.
Between 200 B.C. and 200 A.D., Maya architects in the northern Petén region designed short, broad temples with wide staircases flanked by enormous stucco masks. Made from plaster—a mixture of burned and powdered limestone—these masks depicted elaborate deity faces. One notable example is Temple E-VII-Sub at Uaxactún, a smaller site near the more famous Tikal. This pyramid, with its four stairways and stucco masks, along with three other pyramids to its east, formed a specific architectural pattern that may have had astronomical associations.
The North Acropolis of Tikal, a major Maya city, consisted of numerous plaster-surfaced stone temples. Over time, over 100 structures were built and rebuilt on great stone platforms. Early temple facades were decorated with modelled and painted stucco, including large masks flanking the stairs. These staircases provided a platform for ritual performances by Maya rulers, and the masks were imbued with mythological significance.
As centuries passed, the temples of the North Acropolis grew larger and more massive, their sacred precincts becoming increasingly remote and impenetrable. They dominated Tikal’s landscape, and within the heart of the North Acropolis, rulers were buried in vaulted tomb chambers adorned with painted walls and elaborate grave goods such as ceramics, jade ornaments, and objects made from bone, shell, obsidian, and pearl.
In Honduras, not far from the Guatemalan border, researchers discovered a massive cave adorned with statues of Bhagwan Hanuman, a revered figure in Hindu mythology. These findings included evidence of an ancient city with numerous Hindu temples. According to local lore and Hindu texts, after Bhagwan Ram’s reign, Bhagwan Hanuman journeyed to Patal Lok, a mythical netherworld, which some believe corresponds to regions in Central America.
The ancient city of Copan in western Honduras, known for its statues of the Howler Monkey God, bears a striking resemblance to Bhagwan Hanuman. The name Copan itself is thought to be derived from the Sanskrit word “kapi” (कपि), meaning monkey, suggesting a possible linguistic link.
The Ramayana, one of Hinduism’s epic narratives, contains passages in the Kishkinda Kanda and Yuddha Kanda that mention travels to distant lands, including a trident found in Peru and a journey to Paatala Loka in Central America. In these tales, Bhagwan Hanuman travels to meet his son Makaradhwaja. After defeating the king of Paatala, he installs his son as the ruler, leading to the worship of Bhagwan Hanuman in these regions.
Theodore Morde, an American adventurer, claimed to have found the legendary “White City” or “La Ciudad Blanca” in the Mosquitia region of eastern Honduras in 1940. According to his journals, Morde encountered locals worshipping a gigantic ape idol, which he linked to Bhagwan Hanuman. The city featured large ruined buildings, a long stairway leading to a Monkey God statue, and sacrificial sites. His findings fuel the belief in the city’s existence despite Morde’s untimely death and the loss of the exact location.
Recent efforts by researchers from the University of Houston and the National Center for Airborne Laser Mapping have uncovered evidence of plazas dotted with ancient pyramids, now reclaimed by the jungle. These findings align with Morde’s descriptions and suggest a significant, albeit mysterious, ancient civilisation in the region.
Artefacts collected by Morde, now part of the Heye Foundation Museum of the American Indian in New York City, include metal razors, stone blades, flutes, stone sanctuaries, utensils, and precious metals. These artefacts and local legends support the theory of an ancient cultural connection between Central America and South Asia.
