Page 34 - NIS English 16-31 December, 2025

Foreign guests offered prayers
COVER STORY
in Ayodhya-Kashi and received a
Cultural Renaissance replica of the Ram temple
n In July 2025, PM Modi presented a replica of the Ram
has emerged as a conscious place of India’s Temple in Ayodhya to Trinidad and Tobago's PM Kamla
collective strength. Ayodhya of the Treta Yuga Persad Bissessar, along with holy water from the Saryu
River and the Maha Kumbh Mela held in Prayagraj.
gave humanity ethics, and the Ayodhya of the
21st century is offering humanity a new model n In September 2025, PM Modi expressed his happiness at
of development. Ayodhya was then a center of seeing Bhutan's Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay and his
wife praying at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in
dignity, now it is emerging as the backbone of Ayodhya and said that the ideals of Lord Shri Ram give
a developed India. The Ayodhya of the future strength and inspiration to millions of people around the
will be a confluence of mythology and inno- world.
vation. With a resolve to advance the ideals of n In February 2024, Fiji's Deputy Prime Minister Biman
Lord Shri Ram, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Prasad visited the Ram Janmabhoomi Temple.
says, n On September 12, 2025, Dr Navin Chandra Ramgoolam,
“Ram connects not with distinctions, but Prime Minister of Mauritius, along with his wife,
with emotion. For him, a person’s devotion performed aarti and offered prayers to Ram Lalla.
is important and not their lineage. He values n Six special commemorative postage stamps dedicated to
values, not lineage. He values cooperation, the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple were issued. Many
not power. Today, we are moving forward countries around the world, including Australia, Cambodia,
with the same spirit. In the last 11 years, every the United States, and New Zealand, have issued postage
section of society—women, Dalits, backward stamps depicting events in the life of Lord Ram.
classes, extremely backward classes, tribal n The ASI handed over the bronze statues of Ram,
communities, the deprived, farmers, workers, Lakshmana, and Sita to Tamil Nadu’s Idol Branch. These
and youth—has been placed at the centre statues—stolen from the Rajagopala Vishnu Temple in
of development. When every person, every 1978—were returned by London’s Metropolitan Police to
section, every region of the country is empow- the Indian High Commission in September 2020.
ered, everyone’s efforts will be put into fulfil- n Seven natural heritage sites across the country have
ment of that resolve. Only through everyone’s been included in the Tentative List of UNESCO World
efforts will we be able to build a developed Heritage Sites. With this, the number of Indian heritage
India by 2047, when the country celebrates sites on the tentative list has increased from 62 to 69.
100 years of independence.” India, filled with India now has a total of 69 sites under consideration
a sense of development and heritage, is ready by UNESCO, including 49 cultural, 17 natural, and 3
to restore Ramrajya, putting national interest mixed heritage sites. This achievement demonstrates
before self-interest. India’s unwavering commitment to the preservation and
promotion of its exceptional natural and cultural heritage.
SEPARATE DEPARTMENT IN THE
MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS The then Prime Minister
After the government led by Prime Minister of the United Kingdom,
Narendra Modi came to power, the Ministry Rishi Sunak, along with
of External Affairs created a separate depart- his wife, visited the
ment to oversee the restoration, renovation, Swaminarayan
and support of India’s cultural heritage. The Akshardham Temple in
central government’s cultural diplomacy is Delhi on September 10,
focused on creating, rebuilding, and revital- 2023. The couple also
izing India’s rich traditions for the benefit performed a puja there.
of the entire world. Indian culture is leaving

32 NEW INDIA SAMACHAR || December 16-31, 2025