Ayodhya Ram temple will continue to inspire us: PM

New Delhi: The grand Ram temple in Ayodhya will "continue to inspire us" to create new paradigms of development and success, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday in a letter to President Droupadi Murmu, a day after returning from the 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony.

"Upon returning from Ayodhya Dham after witnessing the most unforgettable moments of my life, I am writing this letter to you. I have returned with an Ayodhya in my heart, an Ayodhya which can never be separated from me," Modi said. He was responding to Murmu's letter to him a day before the January 22 consecration ceremony of the new idol of Ram Lalla at the temple.

In her letter to the prime minister, Murmu had said the nationwide celebratory atmosphere around the inauguration of the grand Ram temple was an uninhibited expression of India's eternal soul and the start of a new cycle in the country's resurgence. Noting that he received Murmu's letter a day before leaving for Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh, Modi said he is very grateful for her good wishes and affection. "Every word of your letter expressed your compassionate nature and your immense happiness at organisation of the consecration ceremony," he said.

Modi said when he received Murmu's letter, he was in a different state of mind and her letter gave him immense support and strength in handling these feelings and in coming to terms with them. "I visited Ayodhya Dham as a pilgrim. My mind was overwhelmed with many emotions after going to the holy land where such a confluence of faith and history has taken place," he said.

"To witness such a historic occasion is both a privilege and a responsibility. You had also discussed about my 11-day religious exercise and the 'Yama-Niyams' related to it. Our country has been the witness to countless people who kept many vows for centuries so that Ram Lalla once again resides at his birthplace," Modi said. "Being the medium of the fulfilment of these centuries-long resolves was a very emotional moment for me and I consider it my good fortune," the prime minister said. Along with 140 crore people, seeing Ram Lalla and welcoming him was amazing, Modi said.

"That moment was possible only with the blessings of Lord Shri Ram and the people of India, and I will always be grateful for it," he said. "As you said, we not only worship Lord Shri Ram but also take inspiration from him in every aspect of life, especially in the social sphere," Modi said.

The prime minister noted that President Murmu in her letter had discussed the impact of the scheme PM-JANMAN and the empowerment of extremely backward people in the tribal society.

Being associated with the tribal society, who can understand this better than you? Our culture has always taught us to work for the most deprived sections of the society. Many campaigns like PM-JANMAN are bringing a big change in the lives of the people of the country today,” Modi said.

The ideals of Lord Ram “give us constant energy for the welfare works and empowerment campaigns for the poor”, he said. “It is Lord Shri Ram who has given the inspiration for ‘sabka saath, sabka vikas, sabka vishvas aur sabka prayas’ in every chapter of his life,” the prime minister said.

The results of this mantra are visible everywhere today, and in the last decade, the country has succeeded in bringing about 25 crore people out of poverty, he said. The eternal thoughts of Lord Ram are the basis of India’s glorious future, Modi said. “The power of these ideals will pave the way for all the people of the country to create a developed India by the year 2047,” Prime Minister Modi said. He said the grand temple of Lord Ram will “continue to inspire us to create new paradigms of development and success”.

President Murmu on Sunday had complimented Prime Minister Modi ahead of the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony. In a two-page letter to him, the president had said that “as you prepare yourself to go for ‘Pran Pratishtha’ of Prabhu Shri Ram’s ‘murti’ (idol) at the new temple built at his birthplace in Ayodhya, I can only contemplate the unique civilisational journey that will be accomplished with each step taken by you in the hallowed precincts”.

Referring to the 11-day rigorous ‘anushthan’ that the prime minister has undertaken, Murmu said it is not only a sacred ritual but also a supreme spiritual act of sacrifice and submission to Lord Ram.

Sending heartfelt wishes, the president said that the nationwide celebratory atmosphere around the inauguration of the grand temple of Prabhu Shri Ram in Ayodhya Dham is an uninhibited expression of the eternal soul of India. “We all are fortunate to witness the commencement of a new cycle in the resurgence of our nation,” she had said.