Inaugurates First Phase Of Kashi Vishwanath Dham In Varanasi
Varanasi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that today’s India is focusing both on retrieving the glory of the nation and modernizing the country.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday inaugurated the first phase of the Kashi Vishwanath Dham here, a project which is spread over five lakh square feet and connects the temple premises to the River Ganga besides providing several facilities to devotees.
“Today’s new India is not only constructing the temple at Ayodhya but also constructing medical colleges in every district. Today’s new India is not only renovating Kashi Vishwanath Dham but also building pukka houses for our poor.”
“Today’s India not only beautifies the Somnath temple but is also laying optical fibres in the sea. Today’s India is not only renovating the Baba Kedarnath temple but is excelling in the space projects,” he said.
“No matter how big the challenge is, we Indians know how to defeat it,” he added.
Before inaugurating the Rs 339 crore project, PM Modi had greeted the labourers who were involved in the construction of the project with flowers. PM Modi also offered prayers at the Kashi Vishwanath Temple and planted a Rudraksha tree at the premises of the temple.
Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanth and BJP national president JP Nadda were also present at the event.
After arriving in the holy city, also his parliamentary constituency, Modi paid obeisance at the Kaal Bhairav Temple and then took dip in Ganga from where he collected holy water for worship at the Kashi Vishwanath Temple.
People chanted hymns as the Prime Minister’s carcade rolled through the city. Modi also stopped at some places to accept felicitation.
Before the inauguration, Modi attended a prayer ceremony and later showered workers involved in building the project with flower petals in a gesture to acknowledge their work. He also sat with them for a group photograph.
The earlier Kashi Vishwanath premises was limited to just 3000 square feet. Now 23 new buildings have been constructed that will provide diverse facilities to the pilgrims and devotees.
The inauguration of the state-of-the-art infrastructure, built at the cost of Rs 339 crore, surrounding the historic Kashi Vishwanath Temple near the iconic Dashashwamedh Ghat comes ahead of the Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh early next year.
The gateways and other structures have been built with stones and other material using traditional craftsmanship.
Addressing the gathering, Modi lauded the civilisational heritage of Varanasi, and said many sultanates rose and collapsed but Benaras remained.
Modi said the whole new complex of the Kashi Vishwanath Dham is not just a grand building, but a symbol of the “Sanatan culture” of India, our spiritual soul and India’s antiquity and traditions.
He said “new history” was being created and “we are fortunate to have witnessed it”. Modi also spoke in local dialect during his speech.
