Shared traditions remind us India's soul eternally inclusive: UP CM Adityanath

Varanasi (UP), Oct 31 (PTI) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said on Friday that "our shared traditions, from the Ganga in Kashi to the Kaveri in Tamil Nadu, remind us that while languages may differ, India's soul remains one, eternally inclusive and unbreakable".

Attending the inauguration of a dharamshala (inn) built at the Kashi Natkottai Nagar Kshetram here, Adityanath began his address with "Vanakkam Kashi".

Vice President C P Radhakrishnan was the chief guest at the event.

Adityanath said it is a happy coincidence that during his trip to Uttar Pradesh, the vice president also visited Kashi, the city of Baba Vishwanath and the Lok Sabha constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Built by the Srikashi Natkottai Nagar Kshetram Managing Society, the dharamshala was inaugurated by Radhakrishnan.

Adityanath said the sacred Jyotirlinga established by Lord Ram at Rameshwaram and the Adi Vishweshwara Jyotirlinga enshrined in Kashi are worshipped as one another.

Kashi Vishwanath and Rameshwaram are both divine manifestations of Lord Shiva, he said, adding that this beautifully represents the cultural unity of north and south India.

This connection, built through Ram and Shiva, was furthered by Adi Shankaracharya, who established sacred "peethas" in the four corners of the country, the chief minister said.

Adi Shankaracharya came to Kashi, attained enlightenment and spread the message of Advaita philosophy to the country, he said, adding that Kashi gave him self-knowledge and he gave the world self-realisation.

"It is our good fortune that this eternal tradition, which has been going on since ancient times, is being given impetus today by Prime Minister Modi. Under his illustrious leadership, the work to restore the respect for the country's glorious faith is progressing.

"Tenkasi in Tamil Nadu houses an ancient temple of Lord Viswanatha. Tenkasi means Kashi of the south. Pandya king Srihari Kesari Parikrama Pandyan brought the Jyotirlinga from Kashi and installed it in Tenkasi. Tamil Nadu also has a sacred place called Sivakasi," Adityanath said.

He said all elements of India's culture are equally preserved in Kashi and Tamil Nadu.

Sanskrit and Tamil literature are the oldest literature in India, he said, while asserting that all Indian languages and their literature embrace everyone.

"These sources of inclusive cultural inspiration maintain harmony and coherence in the society," the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader said.

Adityanath said recently, along with Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, "we installed the statues of Sri Tyagaraja Swami, Sri Purandarasa Swami and Sri Arunachala Kavi, revered saints of south India who dedicated their lives to the devotion of Lord Ram, in Ayodhya Dham".

Prior to this, a statue of Ramanujacharya, the founder of Vishishtadvaita, was also installed in Ayodhya, he pointed out.

Adityanath said under Modi's leadership, after a 500-year wait, a grand Ram temple has been built in Ayodhya and the four main gates to the holy town have been named after Shankaracharya, Ramanujacharya, Ramanandacharya and Madhavacharya.

He said under Modi's leadership, Kashi is establishing a new paradigm of holistic development -- a blend of antiquity and modernity.

"Lord Buddha delivered his first sermon in Sarnath, near Kashi. Guru Nanak came to Kashi and preached the message of humanity. Goswami Tulsidas composed the Ramcharitmanas here. Sant Kabirdas and Sant Ravidas gave the society the invaluable message of harmony and humanity from this sacred land," the chief minister said.

He also said Kashi now combines devotion with development. "This balance is the hallmark of the sacred city. The Shri Kashi Vishwanath Dham is a living example of this. It has not only transformed the temple complex, but also provided a new cultural perspective by combining devotion with modern conveniences," Adityanath said.

Following its inauguration, there has been a significant increase in the number of devotees visiting Kashi from across the country and the world, he added.

Among the devotees, the majority are from Tamil Nadu and south India, he noted.

Adityanath informed that development projects worth Rs 51,000 crore have been approved in Kashi over the past years. Of these, projects worth Rs 34,000 crore have been inaugurated by Modi and projects worth more than Rs 16,000 crore are in various stages.

"Today, excellent road, rail, air and water connectivity is making life easier here. Very soon, the residents of Kashi will receive the gift of an urban ropeway from the prime minister. This will be environment-friendly and will give a new direction to public transportation," he said.

The chief minister said the dharamshala that has been inaugurated was built 200 years ago.

"However, in the intervening period, some people encroached upon the area and attempted to forcibly occupy it. As soon as I learned of this, I cleared the entire encroachment," he said.

Sitharaman had laid the foundation stone for the dharamshala. PTI NAV RC