Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday led the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ (consecration) ceremony at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya
The prime minister walked inside the temple premises with a silver ‘chattar’ (umbrella) placed on a red folded dupatta.
Dressed in a golden kurta teamed up with a cream dhoti and patka, he took sankalp’ for the pran pratishtha ceremony and later moved to the sanctum sanctorum for the rituals.
RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat, Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath were also present inside the sanctorum during the rituals.
Shortly after concluding the ceremony, he addressed a gathering of seers, and celebrities from different walks of life.
Here are 16 themes from his speech:
A New Era for Ram Lalla
Shortly after concluding the consecration ceremony, PM Modi on Monday said that Ram Lalla will have to no longer live in a tent and now his new home will be a magnificent temple in Ayodhya.
“Our Ram Lalla will no longer live in a tent. Our Ramlala will now reside in this divine temple. I firmly believe, with immense devotion, that the experience of what has happened will be felt by devotees of Lord Ram in every corner of the country, and the world. This moment is supernatural. This time is the most sacred. This atmosphere, this environment, this energy, this moment… is a blessing from Lord Shri Ram,” the PM said.
“January 22, 2024… this sun has brought a remarkable aura. January 22, 2024, is not just a date on the calendar. It marks the beginning of a new era,” he added.
Breaking the Chains of Slavery
He said that a nation rising by breaking the mentality of slavery, a nation drawing courage from every affliction of the past, creates a new history in this manner.
“A thousand years from today, people will talk about this date, this moment. And how great is Lord Ram’s grace that we are living in this moment, witnessing it happen,” said the PM.
Lord Ram Will Forgive Us
Seeking forgiveness from Lord Ram, PM Modi said there must have been some shortcomings in our efforts that we couldn’t accomplish this task for so many centuries.
“This time is not ordinary. These are indelible lines of memory being etched with everlasting ink on the wheel of time. Friends, we all know that where the work of Ram is done, there Pawanputra Hanuman is definitely present. Therefore, I also pay my respects to the devotee Hanuman and Hanumangarhi. I pay my respects to Mother Janaki, Lakshman Ji, Bharat-Shatrughna, and all. I also pay my respects to the holy city of Ayodhya and the sacred Saryu river. At this moment, I am feeling a divine experience that those divine souls, those divine beings who have blessed this great work are present around us at this time. I offer my grateful respects to all these divine consciousnesses.”
“Today, I also seek forgiveness from Lord Shriram. There must have been some shortcomings in our efforts, our sacrifices, our penance, that we couldn’t accomplish this task for so many centuries. Today, that deficiency has been fulfilled. I believe Lord Ram will surely forgive us today,” said the Prime Minister.
PM Modi Expresses Gratitude to the Judiciary
He said legal battle over the existence of Lord Ram continued for decades and expressed his gratitude to the judiciary of India for doing justice.
“In India’s Constitution, in its first copy, Lord Ram is present. Even after the advent of the Constitution, legal battles over the existence of Lord Shri Ram continued for decades. I express my gratitude to the judiciary of India, which upheld the dignity of justice. The temple of Lord Ram, synonymous with justice, was also built in a judicial manner,” said PM Modi.
Har Ghar Ram Jyoti
The Prime Minister said that the entire country is celebrating Diwali today and preparations are being made to light Ramjyoti in every home.
“Today, in every village, kirtan and sankirtan are being performed together. Today, festivals are being celebrated in temples, and cleanliness campaigns are being conducted. The entire country is celebrating Diwali today. This evening, preparations are being made to light Ramjyoti in every home,” added the PM.
Pilgrimage to Sacred Sites in Last 11 Days
Referring to his visit to Arichal Munai, the starting point of Ram Setu in Dhanushkodi, he said that the moment when Lord Ram set out to cross the sea was a moment that changed the course of time.
“Yesterday, with the blessings of Lord Shri Ram, I was at Arichal Munai, the starting point of Ram Setu in Dhanushkodi. The moment when Lord Ram set out to cross the sea was a moment that changed the course of time. It was my humble attempt to feel the essence of that emotional moment,” he said.
“There, I offered floral homage. There, a belief awakened within me that just as the course of time had changed then, similarly, the course of time will change again now and will move in an auspicious direction.
“During my 11-day fast and ritual, I attempted to touch the places where Lord Ram’s feet had trodden. Whether it be the Panchavati Dham in Nashik, the sacred Triprayar Temple in Kerala, Lepakshi in Andhra Pradesh, Ranganathaswamy Temple in Srirangam, Shri Ramanathaswamy Temple in Rameshwaram, or Dhanushkodi,” he added.
“I am fortunate that with this same sacred sentiment, I had the opportunity to journey from the sea to Saryu,” he said
“I have had the privilege of listening to the Ramayana in various languages across the corners of the country, and especially over the last 11 days,” added the PM.
Remembering Contribution, Sacrifices of Countless Ram Bhakts
On the auspicious occasion, the Prime Minister also remembered countless devotees who showed the pinnacle of sacrifice and penance for Lord Ram.
“Today, in this historic moment, the country is also remembering those personalities whose efforts and dedication have made this auspicious day possible. Many people have shown the pinnacle of sacrifice and penance in the work of Ram. We are all indebted to those countless devotees of Ram, those countless volunteers, and those countless saints and sages,” he said.
Ram Mandir Shows Our Future Will Be More Beautiful than Our Past
PM Modi said today’s occasion is not only a moment of celebration but also a moment that signifies the maturity of Indian society.
“For us, this occasion is not only about victory, but also about humility. The history of the world is a witness that many nations get entangled in their own history. Whenever such countries have tried to unravel the tangled knots of their history, they have faced great difficulties in achieving success. In fact, many times the situations have become more challenging than before. However, the way our country has untangled this knot of history with seriousness and sensitivity, it indicates that our future is going to be much more beautiful than our past,” said the PM.
Message to Those Who Did Fear Mongering
Hitting out at the fear mongers, the PM said that there was a time when some people said that if the Ram temple is built, it will lead to unrest.
“Such people failed to understand the purity of India’s social sentiment. The construction of this temple of Ramlalla is also a symbol of peace, patience, harmony, and coordination in Indian society,” he said.
“We are seeing that this construction is not igniting any fire, but rather it is giving birth to energy. The Ram temple has brought inspiration for every section of society to move towards a brighter future.
“Today, I call upon those people… Feel it, rethink your perspective,” he said.
“Ram is not fire, Ram is energy. Ram is not a dispute, Ram is the solution. Ram is not only ours, Ram is for everyone. Ram is not just the present, Ram is eternal,” he further added.
Ram Temple is the Temple of National Consciousness
He said Ram Temple is not just a divine temple but a symbol of India’s vision, philosophy, and direction. It is a temple of national consciousness in the form of Ram, he added.
“Ram is the faith of India, the foundation of India.
Ram is the thought of India, the law of India.
Ram is the consciousness of India, the contemplation of India.
Ram is the prestige of India, the might of India.
Ram is the flow, Ram is the influence.
Ram is the norm, and Ram is the policy.
Ram is the permanence, and Ram is the continuity.
Ram is vast, Ram is expansive.
Ram is all-encompassing, Ram is the universe, the soul of the universe. And therefore, when Ram is established, its impact lasts not just for years or centuries. Its impact is for thousands of years,” said PM Modi.
Ram Lalla Embodies the Idea of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’
He said the establishment of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya is also an embodiment of the idea of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’.
“Today, as the whole world is connected with the life-infusing ceremony of the Ram temple, we are witnessing the omnipresence of Ram. The celebration in India is echoed in many countries. Today’s celebration in Ayodhya has also become a festival of those global traditions of the Ramayana. This establishment of Ram Lalla is also an embodiment of the idea of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’,” said the PM.
“Today in Ayodhya, not just the idol of Shri Ram has been infused with life. It is also the life-infusion of unbreakable faith in Indian culture as represented by Shri Ram. It is the life-infusion of human values and supreme ideals. The entire world needs these values and ideals today. We have been repeating the resolution of ‘Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah’ for centuries. Today, this resolution has taken a concrete shape in the form of the Ram temple,” he added.
The Impact of Shri Ram’s ‘Pran Pratishtha’
He said when Lord Ram came in Treta Yuga, Ram Rajya was established for thousands of years.
“When Shri Ram’s kingdom is established , its impact lasts not just for years or centuries. Its impact is for thousands of years. Ram was established in his kingdom for ten thousand years. That means Ram Rajya was established for thousands of years. When Ram came in Treta Yuga, Ram Rajya was established for thousands of years. For thousands of years, Ram guided the world,” said the PM.
“The generations a thousand years from now will remember our nation-building efforts of today. Therefore, I say – Yahi Samay Hai, Sahi Samay Hai. We have to lay the foundation for India of the next thousand years, starting from this sacred time,” PM Modi added.
Step Towards Nation Building
“Moving beyond the construction of the temple, now all of us citizens, from this moment, pledge to build a capable, magnificent, and divine India. The thoughts of Ram should be in ‘Manas’ as well as in the public psyche – this is the step towards nation-building,” said PM Modi.
A Call to the Youth of India
“I tell the youth of my country. You have the inspiration of thousands of years of tradition in front of you. You represent the generation of India… that is hoisting the flag on the moon, that is successfully conducting Mission Aditya by traveling 15 lakh kilometers to the Sun, that is waving the flag of Tejas in the sky and Vikrant in the sea. You have to write the new dawn of India while being proud of your heritage,” said the PM.
Rise of ‘Viksit Bharat’
He said grand Ram temple will be a witness to the rise of a magnificent India, to the development of India!
“This temple teaches us that if the goal is proven true, if the goal is born out of collective and organized strength, then achieving that goal is not impossible,” said PM Modi.
This is India’s Time
“This is India’s time, and India is now moving forward. We have reached here after centuries of waiting. We all have been waiting for this era, this period of time. Now, we will not stop. We will reach the heights of development,” said the PM.
With inputs from agencies
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Ram Mandir consecration ceremony: 16 key themes from PM Modi’s speech at Ayodhya
