Modi unveils statue of Shri Adi Shankaracharya
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi offering prayers at Kedarnath Temple, in Uttarakhand on November 05, 2021.
New Delhi, Nov 05, 2021: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Shri Adi Shankaracharya Samadhi and unveiled the statue of Shri Adi Shankaracharya at Kedarnath today.
He offered prayers at the Kedarnath Temple and reviewed ongoing infrastructure works. Prayers were offered and celebrations held at 12 Jyotirlingas and 4 dhams and many places of faith all over the country along with the event at Kedarnath Dha, all events were linked to the main event at Kedarnath Dham.
Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister evoked the great spiritual rishi tradition of India and expressed his indescribable joy on coming to Kedarnath Dham.
The Prime Minister quoted a verse from Ramcharitmanas- ‘अबिगत अकथ अपार, नेति-नेति नित निगम कह’ meaning some experiences are so supernatural, so infinite that they cannot be expressed in words. He said this is how he feels under the shelter of Baba Kedarnath.
The Prime Minister said that new facilities like shelters, facilitation centres will ease the lives of priests and devotees and allow them to fully immerse in the divine experience of the pilgrimage. Recalling the Kedarnath floods in 2013, the Prime Minister noted that damage caused by the floods years ago was unimaginable.
Talking about Adi Shankaracharya, Shri Modi said his life was as extraordinary as it was devoted to the welfare of the common man.
The Prime Minister recalled there was a time when spirituality and religion started getting linked with stereotypes and outdated practices. Whereas, 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 said.
The Prime Minister said that the third decade of the 21st century belongs to Uttarakhand. He informed that work is going on at a fast pace on the Chardham road project, connecting with the Chardham highways. In future, the work has started so that devotees can come here to Kedarnath ji through cable car.
Shri Adi Shankaracharya Samadhi has been reconstructed after the destruction in the 2013 floods. The entire reconstruction work has been undertaken under the guidance of the Prime Minister, who has constantly reviewed and monitored the progress of the project.
Today the Prime Minister reviewed and inspected the executed and ongoing works along the Saraswati Aasthapath. Key infrastructure projects which have been completed, including Saraswati Retaining Wall Aasthapath and Ghats, Mandakini Retaining Wall Aasthapath, Tirth Purohit Houses and Garud Chatti bridge on river Mandakini.
The projects have been completed at a cost of over Rs. 130 crore. He also laid the foundation stone for multiple projects worth over Rs 180 crore, including the Redevelopment of Sangam Ghat, First Aid and Tourist Facilitation Centre, Admin Office and Hospital, two Guest Houses, Police Station, Command & Control Centre, Mandakini Aasthapath Queue Management and Rainshelter and Saraswati Civic Amenity Building.
