Udupi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 28 hailed Bharatiya Janata Party’s predecessor, Jan Sangh’s good governance model in Udupi after reciting shlokas from the Bhagwat Gita along with one lakh devotees at the Laksha Kantha Gita Parayana event at Sri Krishna Matha here.
PM Modi recited the Bhagwat Gita in unison with over one lakh participants, including students, monks, scholars, and citizens from various walks of life, during the event.
Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister recalled former Karnataka MLA VS Acharya’s work in Udupi.
He said, “Coming to Udupi is very special for me. Udupi has been the karmabhoomi of the Jana Sangh and the Bharatiya Janta Party’s model of good governance. In 1968, the people of Udupi elected VS Acharya of the Jana Sangh to the Udupi Municipal Corporation. With this, Udupi laid the foundation of a new governance model. The cleanliness drive we are witnessing today was adopted by Udupi five decades ago. Udupi began to develop a model of water supply and drainage system in 70s.”
He added that the world witnessed India’s “divinity” as one lakh people recited shlokas from the Bhagwat Gita.
“The world has witnessed India’s divinity as one lakh people together recited shlokas from the Bhagwat Gita… When one lakh people recited the shlokas and divine words echo in one place, the energy released gives new strength to our minds and bodies. This energy is the power behind spirituality and social unity,” the Prime Minister said.
Drawing a connection between Udupi and Dwarka in Gujarat, PM Modi hailed the founder of the Math, Jagadguru Madhwaachaarya.
He said, “Three days ago, I was in Kurukshetra, land of Gita, and today I am coming to the land of Jagadguru Madhwaachaarya with Lord Krishna’s blessings, which has provided me ultimate satisfaction.”
“I was born in Gujarat, and Gujarat and Udupi have had a deep relationship. It is believed that Mata Rumini in Dwarka used to worship the idol of Lord Krishna, which was later installed here by Jagadguru Madhwaachaarya. Last year, I visited Dwarka under the sea. The ‘darshan’ of the Krishna idol here has given me a soulful and spiritual experience,” he added.
During his address, PM Modi also asked his security and police personnel on duty to collect paintings made by children for him.
Sugunendra Theertha Swamiji, the 30th pontiff of the Jagadguru Madhwaachaarya lineage, felicitated PM Modi with a ‘raksha kavach’ and a headgear with peacock feathers.
PM Modi interacted with seers at the Sri Krishna Math in Udipi ahead of the recital.
The Prime Minister also inaugurated the Suvarna Teertha Mantapa, located in front of the Krishna sanctum, and dedicated the Kanaka Kavacha (golden cover) for the sacred Kanakana Kindi, a sacred window through which the saint Kanakadasa is believed to have had the divine darshan of Lord Krishna.
Sri Krishna Math, Udupi, was established over 800 years ago by Sri Madhvacharya, the founder of the Dvaita philosophy of Vedanta, a press release from the PMO said. (With inputs from ANI)
