Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday inaugurated a towering 77-foot bronze statue of Lord Rama at the Shree Samsthan Gokarn Partagali Jeevottam Math in Goa.
The unveiling comes as part of the Math’s 550th anniversary celebrations, known as the Sardha Panchashatamanotsava, in which the Prime Minister is participating during his Goa visit. Modi also opened the newly developed Ramayana Theme Park.
ALSO READ | ‘Udupi has been karmabhoomi of Jana Sangh, BJP’: PM Modi at Laksha Kantha Gita Parayana event
Addressing a gathering after unveiling the statue of Lord Ram, Prime Minister Modi said, “When the society unites, when each sector stands together, then the country makes a big leap.”
“Today, India is experiencing a cultural renaissance. The restoration of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, the extensive renovation of the Kashi Vishwanath Dham, and the expansion of the Mahakal Mahalok in Ujjain all exemplify the nation's renewed awareness and vigorous revival of its spiritual heritage,” Modi said, as quoted by news agency PTI.
ALSO READ | PM Modi offers tribute to 15th century philosopher Kanakadasa, participates in Gita chanting
{{/usCountry}}ALSO READ | PM Modi offers tribute to 15th century philosopher Kanakadasa, participates in Gita chanting
{{/usCountry}}He said Goa, despite facing numerous challenges over the centuries, has preserved its heritage and gradually strengthened it. There were periods when local temples, traditions, and even language were under threat, but these pressures only deepened the resolve of the community and reinforced its cultural identity, he added.
“This is Goa's unique characteristic: that its culture has preserved its original form in every change and has also been revitalized with time,” he said. Praising the mutt’s legacy, Modi remarked that the institution has survived more than five centuries of upheavals and still stands as a symbol of continuity.
ALSO READ | New India neither fears nor bows down to terrorism: PM Modi in Kurukshetra
“Eras changed, periods changed, many transformations occurred in the country and society, but amidst changing eras and challenges, the mutt did not lose its direction; rather, it emerged as a centre that provides direction to people, and this is its greatest identity,” Modi stated, according to PTI.
Before arriving in Goa, the Prime Minister was in Karnataka’s Udupi, where he took part in the Laksha Kantha Gita Parayana, a mass recitation of the Bhagavad Gita.
(With inputs from PTI)