NE NEWS SERVICE
AHMEDABAD, NOV 11
Noting that the 200th year celebrations in Vadtal dham was not mere history, Prime Minister Narendra Modi remarked that it was an event of a huge importance for many disciples, including him who had grown up with utmost faith in Vadtal Dham.
Addressing a programme marking the 200th anniversary celebrations of Shree Swaminarayan Mandir in Vadtal.https://t.co/5pDPQLPpgj
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 11, 2024
He said this during his address at the 200th-anniversary celebrations of the Shree Swaminarayan Mandir in Vadtal, near Anand in Gujarat, on Monday.
- The saints have made huge contribution to our society, when the whole society and country comes together to fulfil a purpose, it definitely gets accomplished: PM
- The whole world is attracted by the potential of India’s youth. These skilled youth will be ready to meet the needs of not only the country but also the world: PM
- Any country can move forward only by being proud of its heritage and preserving it , Our mantra is development as well as heritage: PM
- The Government of India had released a silver coin of Rupees Two hundred (200) and a postal stamp of the memorial: PM
He added that this occasion was a testimony to the eternal flow of Indian culture. Modi underlined that even after 200 years of establishing the 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. Modi extended his warm greetings to all the saints and the disciples on the 200th year celebrations of the Mandir. The Prime Minister was pleased that the Government of India had released a silver coin of Rupees Two hundred (200) and a postal stamp of the memorial. He added that these symbols will keep the memories of this great occasion alive in the minds of generations to come.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasized the importance of inspiring the youth to actively participate in realizing the vision of a Viksit Bharat (developed India).
“I and you, we should all encourage people for a Viksit Bharat. We should motivate especially young minds to realize this dream. To achieve this, we must live every moment with the thought of a Viksit Bharat and participate in it wholeheartedly,” said PM Modi.
PM Modi said that the first step toward realizing this vision is to make India self-reliant (Aatm Nirbhar). He said that the nation should not rely on external aid but focus on building its own strength through initiatives like “Vocal for Local” while also fostering unity among citizens. He cautioned against divisive forces aimed at exploiting caste and gender differences for personal or ideological gains.
He said that many countries sought skilled Indian youth, praising their abilities to tackle not only national challenges but also global issues. “Whenever I meet leaders from other countries, they tell me that they want young people from India to come and work in their countries because they are attracted to the skills of Indian youth,” PM Modi said.
The Prime Minister also highlighted the critical need to safeguard the youth from the dangers of drug abuse and addiction, calling for continuous efforts to address this issue. “This country can only develop when we take care of such issues,” he said.
“Swaminarayan community has always worked very hard on de-addiction. Our saints and Mahatmas can make a huge contribution to keeping the youth away from addiction and making them drug-free. Such campaigns and efforts are always necessary to save the youth from addiction and we will have to do this continuously…Now the example of Ayodhya is in front of all of us. After 500 years, a dream has been fulfilled. The transformation of Kashi and Kedar is in front of us…A new consciousness, a new revolution is visible everywhere. Not only this, there was no one to look for the hundreds of years old idols stolen from our country, today after searching and finding our idols which were stolen from the world, the forms of our gods and goddesses which were stolen are returning to our temples,” he said.
The Shree Swaminarayan Mandir in Vadtal has long been a center of spiritual influence, not only in Gujarat but also worldwide. Built under the guidance of Sadguru Shree Brahmanand Swami and Sadguru Shree Aksharanand Swami, the temple is a symbol of harmony and unity, featuring colorful stone carvings and depictions of deities. The temple, designed in a lotus shape, embodies the spirit of interfaith unity, and its construction was completed in just 15 months.
