Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said the “wounds and pain of centuries are healing” as India celebrated the formal completion of the Ram temple in Ayodhya. Addressing the gathering after hoisting a saffron flag atop the temple, he described the moment as a symbol of India’s cultural resurgence and used the occasion to outline a broader roadmap toward achieving a developed India by 2047.
“Today, the entire nation and the world are immersed in Ram. Centuries-old wounds are healing, centuries-long pain is finding closure, as the resolve that burned for 500 years finally reached its fulfilment,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said.
Calling the flag-hoisting atop the Ram temple “a unique and divine moment”, he said the sacred flag would stand as a testimony that truth ultimately triumphs over falsehood.
Congratulating all Ram devotees and contributors to the temple’s construction, Modi added that Ayodhya has always been the land where ideals transformed into conduct.
Recalling the journey of Lord Ram, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, “Ram left as a prince but returned as ‘Maryada Purushottam’. The wisdom of sages, the guidance of mentors, the friendship of Nishad Raj, the devotion of Shabari, and the commitment of countless others shaped him. A developed India will need this same collective strength too.”
He further emphasized that India must look beyond the present and plan for future generations, highlighting the importance of long-term vision in achieving the nation’s development goals.
“Those who think only of today are unfair to the coming generations. The country existed when we were not here, and it will still remain when we won’t be here,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said.
He emphasized that the journey to a developed India by 2047 requires awakening the Ram within us, noting, “Ram is not a person but a value, a discipline and a direction.”
Reiterating the need to free the nation from a mentality of slavery, Modi said India must take pride in its civilizational identity. “Macaulay sowed the seeds of uprooting India from its roots 190 years ago. We gained Independence but not freedom from inferiority. The next 10 years should be dedicated to reversing this mindset,” he added.
