Gandhinagar, Nov 11
Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in the 200th anniversary celebrations of Shree Swaminarayan Mandir in Gujarat's Vadtal on Monday.
Addressing the gathering through video conferencing, PM Modi said that it was an event of a huge importance for many disciples including him who had grown up with utmost faith in Vadtal Dham.
"Even after 200 years of establishing Vadtal Dham by Shree Swaminarayan, the spiritual consciousness has been kept alive and the teachings and energy of Shree Swaminarayan can be experienced, even till date," PM Modi said, while extending warm greetings to all the saints and the disciples on the celebrations.
Welcoming the release of a silver coin of Rs 200 and a postal stamp of the memorial, he said that these symbols will keep memories of the great occasion alive in the minds of generations to come.
PM Modi told the gathering that the revered saint tradition has been the specialty of India and Lord Swaminarayan along with other saints have gone a long way in strengthening the nation.
The Prime Minister highlighted the charitable works by Vadthal Dham and admired it for providing food, shelter, education along with services and projects in the far-flung tribal areas, besides adding strength to other campaigns including female education.
He also noted that the disciples of Swaminarayan tradition have planted more than 1 lakh trees under the Ek Ped Maa ke Naam campaign.
Highlighting the contribution of saints and sages in society, he said that when the whole society and country unites to fulfil a purpose, it would definitely be accomplished. He also urged the saints and sages of Vadtal Dham and Swaminarayan family to take the goal of developed India to the people. For this, he cited the reference of India's freedom movement and explained how the desire for freedom encouraged people from across the country to partake and contribute in the struggle.
He urged all the saints and disciples to inspire people that for coming 25 years to live with the goal of a developed India and keep ourselves connected to it every moment.
Emphasising the role and importance of everyone in the goal of developed India, PM Modi said that the first condition was to make the country self-reliant and added that it's incumbent on 140 crore citizens of the country, and not on any outsider.
He also urged the Swaminarayan disciples to contribute in making the nation 'atma nirbhar' by promoting 'Vocal for Local'.
Stating the importance of preserving one's heritage, he said, "India's mantra is development as well as its heritage".
"Thousand years old heritage centres of the country are being redeveloped, which were once considered destroyed," he said citing the example of Ayodhya, Kashi, Kedarnath, Pavgadh, Sun temple of Modhera, Somnath.
He further said that the objective of developed India will be achieved only when 140 crore countrymen join hands and come together for a common objective.