PM pays tributes to soldiers and security personnel martyred in Handwara

Just as the strength of a flourishing tree lies in its roots, the growth and progress of any country rests in its cultural and traditional foundation. The thread with which the Indian civilization is weaved, has a rich and diverse milieu spanning over thousands of years. The thread is so strong that no matter how many storms descended upon it, it has remained unbroken. However, in the last few decades, our rich heritage has turned into a picture of neglect. Many of our places associated with faith lay tarred, damaged, encroached or ruined. But things started to change as soon as Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister.

Today as we celebrate nine years of this Government, we can clearly see the transformation that our cultural heritage and legacy sites have undergone. Whether it is to make efforts towards conserving and reviving our multifaceted monuments, reclaiming the country's lost or stolen heritage or representing its rich and diversified culture on global forums, India is imbibing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's mantra of reading history to define its future, thus saving our rich heritage for the present and future generations.

Redeveloping and Rejuvenating Spiritual Sites Across India

PM Modi will forever be remembered as the Prime Minister who transformed India’s holy places. Under his leadership, Shri Kashi Vishwanath Dham has reclaimed its lost glory. PM Modi presided over the Bhoomipujan ceremony for the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi temple. The Modi government took up the task of redevelopment of Kedarnath Dham, which was ruined by the horrific flash floods of 2013. Multiple development projects under Prasad and Swadesh Darshan Schemes have enhanced the experience for those visiting pilgrimage sites. There are several other examples, like connecting Uttarakhand’s Char Dham pilgrimage sites with all-weather roads, the iconic revival of Shri Ujjain Mahakal Temple Corridor, reconstruction of many old temples in Kashmir, and facelift of several Ghats in Ganga.

Promoting Traditional Indian Knowledge and Culture

We have also seen a sea change in how traditional customs and knowledge systems are being revived for the benefit of mankind. The public investment to promote India’s traditional medicine system has significantly increased, and as a result, there is now a growing interest in Ayurveda and Indian medicine, globally. WHO Global Centre for traditional medicine is being set up in Gujarat. PM Narendra Modi’s leadership was pivotal in Yoga getting global recognition.Today, the world celebrates the International Day of Yoga annually on June 21. Similarly, the year 2022 was declared as the International Year of Millets by the UN on India’s requests to highlight their importance and potential against fighting malnutrition. The National Education Policy is now paving the way for studies in the mother tongue and ancient Indian languages like Sanskrit are also being carried forward. Even traditional sports like Kabaddi, Kho-kho and Mallakhamb are being revived under the Khelo India Programme.

Showcasing India's Great Cultural Splendour to the World

Before the advent of PM Modi, there was a strange kind of reluctance among political leaders of India when it came to owning and showcasing Indian culture. PM Modi, however, wears his cultural pride on his sleeve, and never misses an opportunity to showcase India’s culture and knowledge. In order to introduce India’s glorious culture and heritage to the world, the Modi government has decided that meetings with distinguished guests who have come to India should be held not only in Delhi, but also in different cities across India. He took the Australian Prime Minister to Akshardham in Delhi, the First Lady of Korea to celebrate Diwali in Ayodhya and Afghanistan’s President to the Golden Temple in Amritsar, so as to give them a first-hand experience of Indian heritage. Also, during visits by the foreign dignitaries to India, PM Modi makes it a point to showcase and promote the works of local artisans. To highlight the silk history of India and its connection to China, PM Modi gifted a handmade Sirumugai Silk shawl to Chinese President Xi Jinping. PM Modi had gifted a pashmina shawl inscribed with Rabindranath Tagore’s poems to President Park Geun Hye of South Korea, underscoring the respect for Gurudev among Korean people. Top leaders of the world who came to the G20 summit held in Bali, Indonesia, were given gifts related to Indian art and culture, such as miniature paintings of Kangra, Mata Ni Pachedi of Ahmedabad and Patola dupatta (scarf) of Patan.

Preserving the Glorious Cultural Past

The Modi government has also outdone previous governments in maintaining and preserving our multifaceted cultural assets. Since 2014, the Ministry of Culture under the Jatan programme has taken up the task of digitization of 10 government museums across India. More than 3 lakh ancient manuscripts have been digitised under the National Mission for Manuscripts. Along with this, the budget 2023-24 announced the establishment of a digital epigraphy museum named Bharat Shared Repository of Inscriptions (BharatSHRI), where 1 lakh ancient inscriptions will be digitized in the first stage. Several other initiatives include the inauguration of Rashtrapati Bhavan Museum, setting up of National Maritime Museum in Lothal, Gujarat and Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya showcasing the life and legacy of all the Prime Ministers of India.

Celebrating our Unsung Bravehearts

A nation is forged in the images of its heroes and icons, and when it comes to remembering and honouring our national heroes, Modi government has really taken efforts several notches up than previous governments. The Jallianwala Bagh Smarak has been redeveloped and upgraded with all modern amenities. PM Modi has dedicated the National War Memorial, a fitting ode to India’s brave soldiers who laid down their lives for the nation. Under PM Modi, the National Police Memorial, to commemorate the supreme sacrifice made by police personnel, finally saw the light of the day. The world’s largest statue – the Statue of Unity was installed as a tribute to Sardar Patel’s contribution to creating a united India. Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s legacy has been honoured by installing his grand statue at India Gate. 26th November has been declared as 'Constitution Day' in honour of Dr Ambedkar. Be it Guru Adi Shankaracharya or Maharani Ahilyabai Holkar – cultural icons who gave it their all to promote India’s culture and civilisational values are being rightfully honoured today. Not only that, through the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, hundreds of forgotten Freedom Fighters have been recognised and been given their due.

Preservation and Promotion of Tribal Culture

The government, under PM Modi has been doing unprecedented work for the promotion and celebration of tribal culture. 15th November of every year is being celebrated as Janjatiya Gaurav Divas to mark the birth anniversary of tribal freedom fighter Birsa Munda. 10 Tribal Freedom Fighters Museums have been sanctioned by PM Modi to acknowledge the heroic and patriotic deeds of tribal people and to exhibit rich tribal cultural heritage of the region. Searchable Tribal Digital Document Repository is being developed where all research papers, books, reports and documents, folk songs, photos/videos related to the tribal culture are uploaded. Adi Mahotsav festival has been started at national and state levels.

Promoting Cultural Links

PM Modi has been successful in bringing back the epitome of India’s different religious facets and varied traditions. He inaugurated the world Sufi Forum to spread the Islamic message of peace. He lays special emphasis on celebrating India’s Sikh heritage and often praises the spirit of service of the Sikh community. An example of this devotion is the opening of Sri Kartarpur Sahib corridor and observing 26th December observed as ‘Veer Bal Diwas’, to mark the martyrdom of Sahibzade. The Modi-led government has set up numerous culture centres abroad to spread the word and teachings of Lord Buddha. Since 2015, Buddhist Circuit has also been promoted under the Swadesh Darshan scheme. In order to preserve the cultural ties of Christianity with the world, as a mark of solidarity, PM Modi visited the St Anthony's Church in Colombo which had been targeted by terrorists.
In his radio address “Mann Ki Baat”, the Prime Minister urges all the countrymen to visit India and talks about getting acquainted with the culture and language of every state. Just a few days ago, PM Modi urged the youth of the country to visit border villages as part of the 'Vibrant Village Program' (VVP).

PM Modi is also helping rekindle age-old cultural links by organising 'Kashi Tamil Sangamam', a month-long event in Varanasi aimed at celebrating the relationship between Tamil Nadu and Kashi, and the Saurashtra Tamil Sangamam, to celebrate the shared history of Saurashtra and Tamil Nadu.

PM Modi is engaged in weaving the whole of India with the thread of "Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat". From Kashmir to Kedarnath, Kashi Vishwanath to Somnath, and Ayodhya to Ujjain, there have been many landmarks in this journey. A spiritual awakening is gradually happening in the country, for which credit must be given to PM Modi. The citizens, especially the younger generation is rediscovering, acknowledging and appreciating India’s diverse cultural legacy. As a result, a New India is emerging, rooted in its values, proud of its identity and pleased at the recognition of its culture.