(AP) VARANASI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday termed Kashi as “imperishable,” elaborating that “invaders like Aurengzeb who tried to crush it by sword and fanaticism have been relegated to the black pages of history, while the ancient holy city of Kashi is writing a new chapter of its glory”.Though Kashi Vishwanath Temple (KVT) witnessed destruction over the years, it still stands with glory, he added.
Invoking India’s heroes to highlight the ‘unique resilience of the people of this land which has kept a series of invaders at bay, the PM said that Kashi was witness to the history of Aurangzeb’s atrocities and his terror.But the soil of this country is different from the rest of the world.If there is an Aurangzeb, there is also Shivaji.
If any Salar Masud comes, then brave warriors like King Suheldev make him taste the might of India’s unity.
Then recalling a famous saying of Kashi on British governor general Warren Hastings Modi, who had to make a hasty retreat, he said, “The people of Kashi know very well how Hastings had to escape from Kashi.(Ghode par hauda, Haathi Par jin, Aise Bhaaga Warren Hastings)
1 /22 Ganga aarti, cruise ‘baithak’ & temple revamp: PM Modi’s Varanasi visit in pictures Previous Next Show Captions
Prime Minister Narendra Modi being welcomed by UP governor Anandiben Patel and CM Yogi Adityanath upon his arrival in Varanasi.
PM Modi greets supporters as he arrives at Kaal Bhairav Temple.
PM Modi then goes on to offer prayers at Kaal Bhiarav temple.
PM Modi meets Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath.
He receives a rousing welcome from the people as they shower flower petals and chant slogans of ‘Modi, Modi’ and ‘Har Har Mahadev’.
Next, the Prime Minister took a cruise boat from Varanasi’s Khirkiya Ghat to Lalita Ghat to visit the Kashi Vishwanath temple.
Prime Minister Modi waves to supporters after taking a boat ride from Lalita Ghat to Ravidas Ghat.
He then goes on to take a holy dip in the Ganga River.
PM Modi comes out after taking a holy dip in the Ganga river.
After this, the PM arrived at the Kashi Vishwanath Temple.
A priest applies tilak on PM Modi’s forehead before offering prayers.
PM offering prayers at the Kashi Vishwanath Temple
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated phase 1 of Kashi Vishwanath Dham, constructed at a cost of around Rs 339 crores.
PM Modi plants a sapling at the Kashi Vishwanath Dham inauguration.
PM Modi speaks after the inauguration of the Kashi Vishwanath Dham corridor.
UP CM Yogi Adityanath felicitates PM Modi during the inauguration of the Kashi Vishwanath Temple corridor.
PM Narendra Modi showered petals on the workers involved in the Kashi Vishwanath Dham corridor.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had lunch with construction workers who worked on the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor project.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi boards Vivekanand Cruise at Ravidas Ghat in Varanasi.
PM along withUP CM Yogi Adityanath and others watch the Ganga Aarti from a cruise boat at Ganga Ghat in Varanasi.
PM Modi witnesses the Gangi Aarti while onboard a Ro-Ro vessel.
Shiv Deepotsav is being celebrated today in the city of Varanasi upon the aririval of PM Modi
“Look at the cycle of times, those people who stoked terror are confined to the pages of history while Kashi is moving ahead,” he said after inaugurating the Rs 900-crore Kashi Vishwanath Dham (KVD) project here on Friday.
“Kashi is imperishable.
Only one government exists in Kashi, and it is the government of those who have ‘damru’ (a musical instrument carried by Lord Shiva, the presiding deity of Kashi) in their hands.Kashi has always been a class apart.Even though it has witnessed destruction by someone like Aurangzeb, it also witnessed the valor of leaders like Ahilya Bai Holkar.”
Amid thunderous applause and chants of Har Har Mahadev, he added that Kashi has witnessed the making and destroying of history.Many sultanates were formed and lost but Banaras existed.
“Now, see the change of time as all those tyrants and invaders have lost in the pages of history and glory of KVT has been revived,” said Modi, mentioning that when KVT was destroyed, the Queen of Indore, Maharani Ahilyabai Holkar, ensured the construction of a new temple 250 years ago.
“And, king of Punjab Maharaja Ranjit Singh donated gold to brighten the grace of Kashi Vishwanath Dham,” he said, adding, “Queen of Bengal Rani Bhawani, kings of Mysore and other kingdoms from across the country contributed for Kashi due to which temples of north Indian, south Indian, Nepalese and all other styles can be found here.”
The PM said that the whole new complex of the Kashi Vishwanath Dham is not just a grand building, but a symbol of the “Sanatan culture” of India, its spiritual soul, antiquity and traditions.“If India is building Ram Temple, Kashi Vishwanath Dham, it is also laying down thousands of kilometers of optical fibers in sea, building millions of houses for the poor and is working to send people to space,” he added.
“The strength of destroyers can never be bigger than India’s ‘shakti’ and ‘bhakti’.
The world will look at us in the same way we look at ourselves,” he said.
Modi also recalled the deep connection of Kashi with Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana.“On the ghats along the river Ganga, boatmen and vendors can surprise anyone by speaking Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Bengali and other languages fluently.The same bonding keeps the energy of India intact,” he added.
Earlier, he performed rituals of Shivarchan at KVT to dedicate to the nation the first phase work of KVD project.
Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, BJP president JP Nadda and over 3,000 seers and saints invited from across the country besides other dignitaries attended the grand and widely telecast ceremony.
Following purchase of 320 buildings for removal and rehabilitating 1,111 people with a budget of Rs 451-crore, a total of 23 buildings were constructed in phase-I of the project with an investment of Rs 345.47 crore.These buildings will have facilities for the pilgrims visiting KVT like tourist centers, Vedic Kendra, Mumukshu Bhavan (hospice), bhogshala, city museum, viewing gallery, food court and cafeteria, emporium and shops.
In this dream project of the PM, around 40 centuries-old temples, which were unearthed during the process of removal of dilapidated buildings, were restored.
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