Page 32 - NIS English 16-31 December, 2025

Vitthal Rukmini Temple
COVER STORY
Cultural Renaissance
Today, as the Kovidar is once again
consecrated in the courtyard of the
Ram Mandir, it is not merely the
return of a tree but the return of
memory, the resurgence of identity,
and the renewed proclamation of a
proud civilization.
Narendra Modi, Prime Minister
one’s lips. If you travel from Tamil Nadu to
Jammu and Kashmir, you will inevitably come
across people whose names incorporate
‘Ram’ in some form. In Gujarat, someone
might be called ‘Ram Bhai’; in Tamil Nadu, ‘Ra-
machandran’; and in Maharashtra, ‘Rambhau’.
This cultural continuity binds Bharat together.
Take, for example, the act of bathing in our
country. People typically bathe using water
from a bucket, yet they invoke the names of
rivers from every corner of India. The prayer
‘Gange cha Yamune chaiva Godavari Saraswa-
ti, Narmada Sindhu Kaveri jalesmin sannidhim
kuru’ signifies that one is spiritually bathing in
the waters of all these rivers, encompassing
the entire nation.
Not just this, India has a tradition of sankalp
(sacred resolve). Whenever someone takes
a vow, performs a ritual, or even during a
wedding, it begins from the universe itself:
“Jambudvipe, Bharatkhande, Aryavarta…” grad-
ually coming down to the village, then to the
family, and finally invoking the family’s deities.
This Indian culture, which gives the message
of unity in diversity, has become the basis of
the resolve of Viksit Bharat in the Amrit Kaal.
Regarding how the ideals of Lord Ram teach
good governance, Recalling that during the
consecration of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya,
PM Modi said the nation collectively resolved
to move from devotion to nation-building—
30 NEW INDIA SAMACHAR || December 16-31, 2025
n On June 14, 2022, PM Modi unveiled a plaque at the
Vitthal Rukmini Temple in Dehu, Maharashtra.
n The central government has arranged for 4-lane
connectivity to the temple so that devotees do not face any
difficulties in reaching the temple.
Amrit Vatika, Witness to Golden India
n Over 20,000 delegates from across the country arrived in
Delhi on October 31, 2023, carrying over 8,500 Amrit Kalash.
n On October 31, 2023, the 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav'
programme, which awakened the spirit of patriotism,
concluded with the slogan 'My Land, My Country'.
n More than 23.6 crore indigenous saplings were planted
across the country under the theme of Vasudha Vandan.
2.63 lakh Amrit Vatikas were created.
World leaders accompany PM Modi to heritage sites
n The Prime Minister of Japan and the President of France
enjoyed the ancient cultural heritage of Varanasi.
n The prime ministers of Britain, Israel, and Japan, along
with the presidents of the United States and China,
experienced the serenity of the Sabarmati Ashram. The
Chinese President described his visit to the Sabarmati
Ashram as the most memorable moment of his life.
n The Prime Ministers of Britain and Australia visited the
Akshardham Temple in Delhi.
n The First Lady of South Korea arrived in Ayodhya.
Temples are being
built abroad
n In 2019, a large sum of
money was announced
for the reconstruction
of Lord Krishna
Shrinathji in Manama
and Abu Dhabi.
n In February 2022, PM
Modi announced that
a Swaminarayan Hindu
temple would be
built in Bahrain. The
Bahraini government
has allocated land for
this purpose. This
Prime Minister Narendra Modi temple will be the
inaugurated the BAPS temple in second such temple in
Abu Dhabi, United Arab the Middle East to be
Emirates, in February 2024. PM built by BAPS, after
Modi described it as a new and the one in the United
golden chapter in human history. Arab Emirates.