The moment Prime Minister Narendra Modi left for his two-day meditation retreat, many people began lamenting. People created memes and cartoons slamming him and started insulting him in the most disrespectful way possible. People started howling as if the Prime Minister had done something wrong by sitting down to meditate. Of course, this reaction was expected and now it is up to the Opposition to respond and react. However, I would like to take this opportunity to highlight that Narendra Modi once again highlights his pride in our great Hindu tradition and has done it without any guilt.
In the last decade, the Narendra Modi led government has taken up the paramount task of protecting India’s rich cultural heritage. The magnificent Ram Temple at Ayodhya was built after removing all legal hurdles. The Ram Temple also brought much-needed development to the city of Ayodhya. Similarly, Kashi was renovated following the completion of the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor in Varanasi. The corridor gave devotees a chance to observe and savour the sheer grandeur of the Ganges. It also enabled devotees to have darshan of the Ganges directly from the Kashi Vishweshwara Temple. Now even foreign tourists are attracted by the cleanliness of the Ganges and its surroundings, and the construction projects taking place in Varanasi.
The 2,400-year-old Sharada Peetham in Kashmir, built by Jagadguru Adi Shankaracharya, was opened after 70 years. Pujas and worship resumed after 70 years, signalling a major cultural revival. The Modi government has also initiated steps to restore the Advaita Kendra at Omkareshwar in Madhya Pradesh to its former glory. India is proud to showcase its rich religious and cultural heritage to the world. Yoga has also been given its due glory by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Mahakal Corridor in Ujjain is another example of the Modi government’s efforts to preserve India’s rich heritage.
Taking part in ‘sadhana’ in the caves of Kedarnath, diving deep into the ocean at Dwarka to offer prayers and peacock feathers to Lord Krishna, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, bathing in the waters of Guruvayur Kund in Rameswaram and now travelling to Kanyakumari for meditation – it just goes to show how Narendra Modi is boasting to the world about our rich Hindu culture. And that is no doubt why some people are confused.
On this occasion, I vividly recall two incidents. It was on August 5, 2020, in Ayodhya. Prime Minister Narendra Modi entered the auditorium and welcomed the crowd with his calm, composed and confident body language. Only a fortunate few were able to witness the foundation stone laying ceremony of the grand and sacred Shri Ram Lalla Temple. Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered a historic speech amidst rapturous applause and chants of “Jai Shri Ram”, as well as a rendition of the sacred Brahmavrinda. His speech touched the hearts of millions of people across India and abroad.
You may have heard the phrase “Asetu Himachalam,” which means “from (Rama) Setu to the Himalayas.” But Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his speech, said, “From Kanyakumari to Kheer Bhawani, from Koteshwar to Kamakya, from Jagannath to Kedarnath, from Somnath to Kashi Vishwanath, from Sammedh Shikarji to Shrawan Belgor, from Bodh Gaya to Sarnath, from Amritsar to Patna Sahib, from Andaman to Ajmer, from Lakshadweep to Leh, all are embraced by Lord Rama.”
Varanasi, December 13, 2021. In the bone-chilling cold of December, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, dressed in saffron attire, carefully carried a Kamandalu as he walked into the Ganges. In this extreme cold, a normal person would only take four or five steps in the Ganges and splash a few drops of water on it. But PM Narendra Modi walked half way into the water, reciting prayers and chants with a rosary in his hand. Millions of people who witnessed PM Modi perform this ritual will never forget this religious side of him.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also bonded with the construction workers of Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple Cloister and those who are working tirelessly even amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. He dined with them, took selfies with them and also presented flowers to them in honour of their indomitable work ethic and showed his deep appreciation for the vibrant Hindu culture.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi always makes it a point to visit various religious sites associated with Indian culture during his foreign visits. He has visited Toji Temple and Kinkakuji Temple in Japan, Lord Shiva Temple in Mauritius, the famous Lakshminarayan Temple in Canada and Dakshineswar Mandir in Bangladesh. When unrest broke out in Afghanistan, the government made efforts to bring back Guru Granth Sahib from there. The efforts made by the government to bring back Granth Sahib to India revived the government’s respect for Sikhs.
The Modi government started the practice of gifting copies of the Bhagavad Gita as souvenirs to leaders and diplomats of different countries who visit India. Modi has ignored political conventions by zealously preserving the beautiful heritage of ancient Hindu culture across the world. Swami Vivekananda, who was the first to address his audience as “sisters and brothers”, spread Hindu culture across the world. Today, we see PM Modi meditating in front of the Swami Vivekananda Memorial. On one hand, there is Modi who meditates and takes our rich culture abroad, while on the other hand, there are a few individuals who are just criticizing Modi’s actions. This reminds us of the verse in the Abban of sage Muktai, “Sant jene vhave| jag bolne sahave || tarich angi thorpan | jaya nahi abhiman || thorpan jethe vase|”, which means that it is not easy to become a saint. A sharp blow to the head or personality leaves a long-lasting scar, but physical wounds inflicted by a human being heal. But extraordinary saints are different from other people, and ordinary people will forever have doubts about their sainthood. Now, of course, there is nothing left for the mourners.
Disclaimer
The views expressed above are the author’s own.
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