Page 31 - NIS English 16-31 December, 2025

COVER STORY
Ram Darbar attracts bids of nearly r30L
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath presented a
glass Ram Darbar idol of Lord Ram, Maa Sita, Lakshman,
and Hanuman to Prime Minister Narendra Modi at an event.
It was auctioned in October 2022. The base price was set
at just r32,400, but 131 people expressed interest in taking
it home, and the final bidder, who bid
nearly r30 lakh, won the Ram Darbar idol.
In another auction, a Ram Darbar icon
along with a model was purchased by a
devotee with a bid of r10 lakh. The price
rose from r16,200 to r10 lakh in just the
seventh bid. Another model, showing the
intricately carved pillars and magnificent
minarets, was sold for r55,000 and reached r10 lakh. It was
gifted to Prime Minister Modi by Union Minister Arjun Ram
Meghwal and auctioned in October 2024.
PM Modi’s gifts have exported the
country’s culture abroad
n A pink enamelled ship from Kashi arrived in Australia.
n A Buddha made of sandalwood from Jaipur arrived in
Japan.
n Rogan paintings from Kutch, Gujarat, arrived in Denmark.
n A copper plate depicting Jewish history arrived in Israel. What is that idea which unites India? What is
n PM Modi gifted "Bhagavad Gita" in a hardcover made of
khadi to several global leaders, including former US President
Barack Obama and former Japanese PM Shinzo Abe.
India is passing through a decisive phase
today. The nation’s youth power, growing self-
confidence, and inclination toward cultural
roots are together shaping a new India. Our
resolve to build a Viksit Bharat will be fulfilled
only when the three streams of spirituality,
national service, and development flow together.
Narendra Modi, Prime Minister
December 16-31, 2025 || NEW INDIA SAMACHAR
Cultural Renaissance
culture but has also done unprecedented work
for its renaissance. As a result, Indian culture
has been restored on the global stage, as high
as the Himalayas and as deep as the sea.
When a country’s cultural and historical
history, as well as its economic power, are
acknowledged, that country gains respect
and recognition on the global stage. India
was once recognized as the world’s centre of
knowledge, science, and spirituality, but its im-
portance declined throughout the long period
of slavery. During that period, Western culture
and civilization were seen to be superior. In
this context, as the leader of New India, Prime
Minister Narendra Modi has ushered Indian
culture into a new era of renaissance through
a vision of development and heritage. He has
also set the country a new goal of liberation
from the slave mentality by 2035. Today,
respect for Indian culture has grown among
the country’s younger population, and they
are proud of their Indianness.
AMRIT KAAL: FROM RAM TO THE
NATION – FROM THE DIVINE TO THE
COUNTRY
India as a nation? What is that fundamental
thought that binds together all these diverse
societies, communities, and cultures? Prime
Minister Modi gives a clear answer to this –
India has a cultural identity. It is a civilization
thousands of years old. Look at its vastness:
more than a hundred languages and thou-
sands of dialects. It is often said that if you
travel just twenty miles within the country,
the language, customs, cuisine, and even
attire change. From South to North India,
diversity is evident everywhere. However, if
you delve deeper, you will find a common
thread running through it all. As I often say,
the name of Lord Ram resonates across the
country—you will hear his name on every-
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