PM calls upon countrymen to visit places of pilgrimage

"Some experiences are so supernatural, so infinite that they cannot be expressed in words, this is how I feel at Baba Kedarnath Dham. I appeal to the countrymen to visit the places related to the glorious freedom struggle of India and pious places of pilgrimage and get acquainted with the spirit of India," said Modi, while addressing a gathering after inaugurating several projects and laying the foundation for others at the Kedarnath temple here.

The Prime Minister also inaugurated Adi Shankaracharya Samadhi Sthal and unveiled his statue on the occasion. The Samadhi was reconstructed after the 2013 floods.

Recalling the contribution of Adi Shankaracharya, Modi said his life was as extraordinary as it was devoted to the welfare of the common man.

"There was a time when spirituality and religion started getting linked with outdated practices, whereas the Indian philosophy talks about human welfare and looks at life in a holistic way. Adi Shankaracharya did the work of making the society aware of this truth," he noted.

"Today, our cultural heritage centers of faith are being viewed with a valid pride, as they should be viewed. A grand temple of Lord Shri Ram is coming up in Ayodhya in UP. Ayodhya is getting its glory back. Just two days ago, the whole world saw the grand celebration of Deepotsav in Ayodhya. Today, we can imagine how the ancient cultural form of India must have been," Modi added.

He said that today's India is confident about its heritage, as it "sets tough goals and deadlines for itself."

Referring to the 2013 floods in Kedarnath, the PM said the damage caused was 'unimaginable'.

"People who used to come here would wonder whether Kedar Dham will ever stand up again. Due to the grace of Lord Kedar and inspiration of Adi Shankaracharya and my experience of managing the aftermath of the Bhuj earthquake (Gujarat), carried out these development projects in Kedarnath," he said.

He expressed his gratitude to the Uttarakhand government, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and those for relentlessly pursuing the development works at the shrine.

The PM further said that the third decade of the 21st century belongs to Uttarakhand.

"Keeping in mind the immense potential and full faith in the capabilities of people of Uttarakhand, the state government is involved in the 'mahayagya' of Uttarakhand's development," he added.

Modi also informed that work is going on at a fast pace on the Chardham road project, connecting the Chardham highways, and added that work is going on to build a ropeway to make the darshan in Hemkund Sahib easy.

Lauding the state government for its fight against the Corona pandemic, he said, "Overcoming the geographical obstacles, the state achieved the target of 100 percent single-dose vaccination. This is the strength and power of Uttarakhand," he added.

Earlier, the PM offered prayers at the Kedarnath temple.

Uttarakhand Governor Lt Gen (Retd) Gurmeet Singh, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, and other dignitaries were present on the occasion.