Page 24 - NIS English 16-31 December, 2025
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COVER STORY
Cultural Renaissance
Cultural heritage is not just history;
it is the shared consciousness
of humanity. Whenever we visit
historical sites, our thinking Sun Temple Fully Solar Powered
transcends current geopolitical
factors. n Second only to the Konark Sun Temple, the Modhera Sun
Temple is a fine example of temple architecture in Gujarat.
Narendra Modi, Prime Minister Built in the 11th century, it is located 30 kilometers from
Patan city, in Bechraji taluka of Mehsana district, on the
left bank of the Pushpavati River, a tributary of the Rupen
rapidly taking shape. New connectivity, state- River.
of-the-art infrastructure, rapid tourism de- n On October 9, 2022, Prime Minister Narendra Modi
velopment, and initiatives like Smart City and inaugurated heritage lighting at the Modhera Sun Temple in
Solar City are establishing Ayodhya globally Gujarat, India's first heritage site to be fully solar-powered.
as a sustainable, inclusive, and modern city. 3D projection mapping also started.
Access to Shri Ayodhya Dham has become n In May 2020, the Government of India launched a plan
easier, safer, and more accessible than ever for 100% solarization of the historic Konark Sun Temple
for millions of devotees. This city of Lord Shri and Konark city in Odisha. This will meet the city's energy
Ram is emerging on the world map as a cul- needs.
tural capital, where heritage is respected and n This plan was launched to promote PM Modi's vision of
unprecedented development is also taking developing the Konark Sun Temple as a "Sun City."
place. n Prime Minister Narendra Modi showcased India's heritage
and strong history to the world during the G-20 Summit
DEVELOPMENT AND HERITAGE GO by showcasing the Konark Sun Temple and Nalanda
TOGETHER University.
Any country in the world, if it wants to reach
new heights of development, must preserve Destinations under the Swadesh
its heritage. Our heritage inspires us and Darshan-Prashad Scheme
shows us the right path. Therefore, today’s
India is moving forward by assimilating both Swadesh Darshan is a centrally funded scheme. The Ministry of
the ancient and the new. Cultural heritage Tourism has approved 76 projects under this scheme so far. Under
is an important chapter in India’s resolve to this scheme, tourist destinations are being equipped with state-of-
the-art facilities. Under the Prasad Scheme, 47 projects with an
become a developed nation. Since ancient estimated cost of r1594.40 crore have been approved, and 26
times, India has been considered a centre of new destinations have been identified. Its objective is the holistic
knowledge related to science and technology development of selected pilgrimage sites in the country.
in the world. There was a period when foreign n The Ministry of Tourism has now revamped its
rulers and the colonial era caused so much Swadesh Darshan Scheme as Swadesh Darshan 2.0
damage to many key institutions that they (SD 2.0). Its objective is to develop sustainable tourist
have not been revived to this day. However, destinations with a tourist- and destination-centric
this description of the importance of ‘country, approach.
time, and situation’ is mentioned in ancient
22 NEW INDIA SAMACHAR || December 16-31, 2025
