Siyavar Ramchandra ki jai! Siyavar Ramchandra ki jai!

Jai Jai Siyaram, Jai Siyaram.

Honourable Governor of Uttar Pradesh Anandiben Patel, most revered Sarsanghchalak of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh Dr. Mohan Bhagwat ji, Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath ji, Chairman of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust revered Mahant Nritya Gopal Das ji, revered sant samaaj, all devotees who have come here, crores of Ram devotees from the country and the world who are witnessing this historic moment, ladies and gentlemen.

Today, the city of Ayodhya is witnessing another pinnacle of India's cultural consciousness. Today, entire India, entire world is immersed in Ram. There is unparalleled contentment in every Ram devotee's heart. There is immense gratitude. There is boundless divine bliss. Wounds of centuries are healing. The pain of centuries is coming to an end today. The resolve of centuries is achieving fulfillment today.

Today is the final offering of that yajna whose fire burned for 500 years. A yajna that never wavered from faith even for a moment. Never broke from belief even for a moment. Today, the infinite energy of Lord Shri Ram's birthplace, the divine glory of the Shri Ram family has been established in this most divine and grand temple in the form of this Dharma Dhwaja.

And friends, this Dharma Dhwaja is not just a flag. This is the flag of the renaissance of Indian civilisation. Its saffron colour, the glory of the Suryavamsha depicted on it, the inscribed Om symbol and the engraved Kovidara tree represents the glory of Ram Rajya. This flag is a resolve. This flag is success. This flag is the story of creation from struggle. This flag is the manifest form of dreams that have continued for centuries.

This flag is the fruitful result of the penance of saints and the participation of society. Friends, for the coming centuries and millennia, this Dharma Dhwaja will proclaim the ideals and principles of Lord Ram. This Dharma Dhwaja will call out - Satyameva Jayate Nanritam - meaning only truth triumphs, not falsehood. This Dharma Dhwaja will proclaim - Satyam Ek Padam Brahma Satya Dharma Pratishthitah - meaning, truth is the form of Brahman, dharma is established in truth.

This Dharma Dhwaja will inspire - Pran Jaye Par Vachan Na Jaai - meaning what is said is what should be done.

This Dharma Dhwaja will convey the message - Karma Pradhan Vishwa Rachi Rakha - meaning work and duty should be paramount in the world.

This Dharma Dhwaja will wish - Bair Na Bigraha Aas Na Traasa Sukhmai Taahi Sada Sab Aasa - meaning freedom from discrimination, pain and trouble, peace and happiness in society.

This Dharma Dhwaja will make us resolve - Nahi Daridra Kou Dukhi Na Deena - meaning we build such a society where there is no poverty, no one is unhappy or helpless.

Friends, it is said in our scriptures - Aaropitam Dhwajam Drishtva Ye Abhinandanit Dharmikah Te Api Sarve Pramuchyate Mahapaatak Kotibhih - meaning those who for some reason cannot come to the temple and bow to the temple's flag from afar, they too receive equal merit.

Friends, this Dharma Dhwaja is also a symbol of this temple's purpose. This flag will provide darshan of Ram Lalla's birthplace from afar and for ages will convey Lord Shri Ram's ideals and inspirations to all of humanity.

Friends, I give heartfelt good wishes to crores of Ram devotees of the entire world for this unforgettable moment, this unique occasion. I bow to all those devotees today. I also express gratitude to every donor who extended their support for Ram Temple construction. I congratulate every labourer, every craftsman, every planner, every architect associated with Ram Temple construction.

Friends, Ayodhya is that land where ideals transform into conduct. This is the city where Shri Ram began his life journey. This Ayodhya told the world how a person becomes Purushottam through the strength of society, through its values.

When Shri Ram went from Ayodhya to exile, he was Yuvraj Ram. But when he returned, he came as Maryada Purushottam. And in his becoming Maryada Purushottam, Maharishi Vashishtha's knowledge, Maharishi Vishwamitra's initiation, Maharishi Agastya's guidance, Nishadraj's friendship, Mother Shabari's affection, Hanuman's devotion- countless such people played an important role.

Friends, this same collective strength of society is needed to build a developed India. I am very happy that the divine precinct of Ram Temple is also becoming a consciousness-center of India's collective capability. Seven temples have been built here. A temple of Mata Shabari has been built here, which is an embodiment of the tribal society's love and hospitality tradition.

A temple of Nishadraj has been built here. This is witness to that friendship which worships not the means, but the purpose of a friendship, its sentiment. At one place here is Mata Ahilya, Maharishi Valmiki, Maharishi Vashishtha, Maharishi Vishwamitra, Maharishi Agastya, and Saint Tulsidas. Along with Ram Lalla, darshan of all these sages happens here. There are also statues of Jatayu and the squirrel, which show the importance of every small effort for achieving great resolves.

I would tell every citizen today that whenever they come to Ram Temple, they must have darshan of the Sapta Mandir as well. These temples give strength not only to our faith but also to the values of friendship, duty and social harmony.

Friends, we all know our Ram connects not through differences but through devotion. For Him, a person's lineage is not important, their devotion is. Ancestry is not dear to Him, values are. Strength does not seem great to Him, cooperation does. Today we too are moving forward with that same sentiment.

In the past 11 years, women, Dalits, backwards, most backwards, tribals, the deprived, farmers, labourers, youth - every class has been placed at the centre of development. When every person, every class, every region of the country becomes empowered, then everyone's effort will contribute to the accomplishment of the resolve. And with everyone's effort, in 2047 when the country celebrates 100 years of independence, we will build a developed India.

Friends, on the historic occasion of Ram Lalla's Pran Pratishtha, I had discussed the resolve of Ram to Rashtra. I had said that we have to strengthen India's foundation for the coming 1,000 years. We must remember that those who think only of the present do injustice to coming generations. We have to think about future generations along with the present. Because this country existed when we were not here. This country will exist even when we are not here.

We are a living society. We have to work with foresight. We must keep in mind the coming decades, the coming centuries. And friends, for this too we have to learn from Lord Ram. We have to understand his personality. We have to assimilate his behavior.

We must remember - Ram means ideals. Ram means propriety. Ram means the highest character of life. Ram means the confluence of truth and valor - Divya Gune Shakra Samo Ramah Satya Parakrama.

Ram means a personality walking on the path of dharma - Ramah Satpurusho Loke Satya Satya Parayana. Ram means placing people's happiness above all - Praja Sukhatve Chandrasya.

Ram means the ocean of dharma and forgiveness - Vasudhaaya Kshama Gunehe.

Ram means the pinnacle of knowledge and wisdom - Buddhya Brihaspateh Tulya.

Ram means firmness in gentleness - Mridu Purva cha Bhashate.

Ram means the supreme example of gratitude - Kadachan Nopakaaren Kriti Nayake Na Tushyati.

Ram means choosing excellent company - Sheela Vriddhe Jnana Vriddhe Vayo Vriddhe Cha Sajjanai.

Ram means great strength in humility - Veeryavan Nacha Veeryena Mahata Sven Vismitah.

Ram means unwavering truth. Ram means 'aware, disciplined and sincere'.

Friends, Ram is not just a person. Ram is a value, a propriety, a direction. If India is to be made developed by 2047, if society is to be made capable, then we have to awaken the Ram within us. We have to consecrate the Ram within us. And what better day than today for this resolve?

Friends, this historic day of November 25 has brought another wonderful moment of pride in our heritage. The reason for this is the Kovidara tree inscribed on the Dharma Dhwaja. This Kovidara tree is an example that when we are cut off from our roots, our glory gets buried in the pages of history.

Friends, when Bharat reached Chitrakoot with his army, Lakshmana recognized Ayodhya's army from afar. How did this happen? Valmiki ji has described this. And what description did Valmiki ji give? He said - Virajit Udgat Skandham Kovidar Dhwajah Rathe. Lakshmana says, Ram, the flag like a magnificent tree visible in bright light ahead is Ayodhya's army flag. It has the auspicious symbol of Kovidara inscribed on it.

Friends, today when Kovidara is being established again in Ram Temple's precinct, this is not just the return of a tree. This is the return of our memory. This is the renaissance of our identity. This is the re-proclamation of our self-respecting civilisation. The Kovidara tree reminds us that when we forget our identity, we lose ourselves. And when identity returns, the nation's self-confidence also returns. And therefore I say, if the country is to move forward, it must take pride in its heritage.

Friends, along with pride in our heritage, one more thing is also important, and that is complete freedom from the mentality of slavery. 190 years ago from today, in 1835, an Englishman named Macaulay sowed the seeds of uprooting India from its roots. Macaulay laid the foundation of mental slavery in India.

10 years from now, in 2035, that unholy event will complete 200 years. A few days ago I urged in a program that we should move with the goal of the next 10 years that we will free India completely from the mentality of slavery. Friends, the greatest misfortune is that what Macaulay thought had a much broader impact. We got independence but not freedom from inferiority complex.

A defect developed that everything foreign, every system is good, and our own things have nothing but flaws. Friends, this is the mentality of slavery which continuously established this. It was said we took democracy from abroad. It was said our Constitution too is inspired from abroad. Whereas the truth is that India is the mother of democracy. Mother of Democracy. Democracy is in our DNA.

Friends, if you go to Tamil Nadu, in the northern part of Tamil Nadu is Utteeramerur village. There is an inscription from thousands of years ago. It describes how even in that era, the governance system ran democratically, how people elected the government. But we have had only the tradition of praising Magna Carta. Even knowledge of Bhagwan Basavanna's Anubhava Mantapa was kept limited. Anubhava Mantapa where public debates on social, religious, economic subjects took place, where decisions were taken by collective consensus.

But due to the mentality of slavery, how many generations of India were deprived of even this knowledge.

Friends, this mentality of slavery had taken root in every corner of our system. Now recall the Indian Navy's flag. For centuries, symbols remained on that flag which had no connection with our civilization, our strength, our heritage. Now we have removed every symbol of slavery from the Navy's flag. We have established the heritage of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

And this was not just a change in design. This was a moment of changing mentality. This was the declaration that India will now be defined by its own strength, its own symbols, not by someone else's heritage. And friends, this same transformation is visible in Ayodhya today.

Friends, it is this mentality of slavery that has denied Ramhood for so many years. Bhagwan Ram is in himself a value system. From King Ram of Orchha to devotee Ram of Rameshwaram, and from Shabari's Lord Ram to Mithila's guest Ram ji - in every home of India, in every Indian's mind, and in every particle of India there is Ram.

But the mentality of slavery became so dominant that even Lord Ram was declared imaginary. Friends, if we resolve, we will completely free ourselves from mental slavery in the next 10 years. And only then will such a flame ignite, such self-confidence will increase that nothing will be able to stop India from fulfilling the dream of developed India by 2047.

The foundation of India for the next 1,000 years will only become strong when we completely demolish Macaulay's project of slavery in the next 10 years.

Friends, the temple complex of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya Dham is becoming grander and grander, and along with that, work to beautify Ayodhya is continuously ongoing. Today Ayodhya is again becoming that city which will become an example for the world. Treta Yuga's Ayodhya gave humanity ethics. 21st century's Ayodhya is giving humanity a new model of development.

Then Ayodhya was the center of propriety. Now Ayodhya is emerging as the backbone of developed India. Friends, the future Ayodhya will have a confluence of antiquity and novelty. The immortal stream of Saryu ji and the stream of development will flow together. Here the harmony of spirituality and artificial intelligence will be visible.

From Ram Path, Bhakti Path and Janmabhoomi Path, the new Ayodhya is visible. Ayodhya has a grand airport. Ayodhya has a magnificent railway station today. Trains like Vande Bharat and Amrit Bharat Express are connecting Ayodhya with the rest of the country. Work is continuously going on so that Ayodhya residents get facilities, prosperity comes into their lives.

Friends, since the Pran Pratishtha till today, about 45 crore devotees have come here for darshan. This is that sacred land where footprints of 45 crore people have been imprinted. And this has brought economic transformation, increase in the income of Ayodhya and surrounding people. Once Ayodhya was far behind on development parameters. Today the city of Ayodhya is becoming one of UP's leading cities.

Friends, the coming time of the 21st century is very important. In 70 years after independence, India became the world's 11th largest economy. 11th in 70 years. But in just the last 11 years, India has already become the world's fifth largest economy. And that day is not far when India will also become the world's third largest economy.

The coming time is of new opportunities, of new possibilities. And in this important period too, the thoughts of Bhagwan Ram will become our inspiration. When Shri Ram faced the huge goal of victory over Ravana, he said - Sauraj Dheeraj Tehi Rath Chaaka, Satyasheel Dridh Dhwaj Pataka, Bal Vivek Dam Par Hit Gore, Kshama Kripa Samataa Raju Jore. Meaning, for the chariot needed to win over Ravana, valour and patience are its wheels. Its flag is of truth and good conduct. Strength, wisdom, restraint and altruism are this chariot's horses. As reins there is forgiveness, compassion and equality, which keep the chariot in the right direction.

Friends, such a chariot is needed to accelerate the journey of developed India. A chariot whose wheels are valour and patience - meaning there should be courage to face challenges and also patience to stand firm till results come. A chariot whose flag is truth and supreme conduct - meaning never compromise with policy, intent, and morality.

A chariot whose horses are strength, wisdom, restraint, and altruism - meaning there should be power, intelligence, discipline, and a commitment to others' welfare. A chariot whose reins are forgiveness, compassion, and equality - meaning where there is no arrogance of success and respect for others remains even in failure.

And therefore I say with respect, this is the moment to stand shoulder to shoulder. This is the moment to increase speed. We have to build that India which is inspired by Ram Rajya. And this is only possible when national interest comes before self-interest. When national interest is paramount.

Once again, I give you all best wishes. Jai Siyaram. Jai Siyaram. Jai Siyaram.

Narendra Modi

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