Day 1 Varanasi visit: 'Tyrants tried to destroy Kashi, city now writing new chapter of glory'
On the first day of his Varanasi visit, PM Modi inaugurated the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor project, showered flower petals on the labourers involved, had lunch with them and took a holy dip in the river Ganga.
Kashi Vishwanath Corridor inauguration: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday launched his dream project, the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor project, and felicitated workers who have been part of its construction. At the inauguration, he spoke about the project, and said that "Tyrants tried to destroy Kashi, but the city is now writing a new chapter of glory".
He celebrated the occasion by showering flower petals on the labourers during the inauguration of the temple complex. The event was held with great pageantry in the holy city on Monday. The prime minister also had lunch with the workers at a hall in the complex.
PM thanks labourers, craftsmen involved
During his address, PM Modi thanked the workers, labourers and craftsmen behind the project becoming a reality. He even had lunch with them. "Behind the success of the Shri Kashi Vishwanath Dham project is the hard work of countless individuals. During today's programme, I had the opportunity to honour them and have lunch with them. My Pranams to these proud children of Bharat Mata!," he later said in his tweet, and also shared some pictures.
Labourers, engineers, and craftspersons from various parts of India have contributed to building the Corridor and refurbishing the premises of the revered ancient temple, the whole area being referred to as Kashi Vishwanath Dham.
PM takes holy dip in river Ganga
Prime Minister Modi dedicated the Corridor in his Lok Sabha constituency Varanasi to the people after taking a holy dip in the river Ganga and offering prayers at the temple that draws lakhs of visitors from India and abroad.
Modi after performing 'puja' met a group of workers who sat on a terraced gallery near the temple. Walking among the workers with a flower basket, he felicitated them by showering petals on them.
The workers, who wore construction site jackets, clapped, cheered and greeted the prime minister with folded hands.
PM gets pictures clicked
The prime minister also sat with the workers in the gallery where a red carpet was laid and got pictures taken with them after gesturing them to sit closer to him.
In one of the pictures, PM Modi and workers posed with both hand raised, a symbolic gesture to hail Lord Shiva.
A giant banner bearing images of Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, and thanking the prime minister for realising the "dream of Kashi" was put up in the background. Later, the prime minister also had lunch with them.
Prime Minister Modi in his address at the function Modi expressed his gratitude to workers involved in the construction of the grand temple complex, noting that they did not let even COVID stop the work here.
'Centre of spiritual consciousness'
The prime minister, in his address, said that Kashi (ancient name of Varanasi) has been the "centre of spiritual consciousness". "And, now in a grand form, Kashi will now add energy to this consciousness," he said, clad in a golden coloured kurta-pyjama and an 'angavastra'.
He also said that Varanasi has been the "karmabhoomi and janmabhoomi" of many great personalities, and lauded Maharani Ahilyabai Holkar for constructing the temple ar around 1780.
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the work on the project has been completed on schedule, the Prime Minister's Office said in a statement on Sunday.
The current structure of the temple was constructed by Maharani Ahilyabai Holkar around 1780, and in the 19th century, Maharaja Ranjit Singh had got it crowned with a golden 'shikhar'.
(With PTI Inputs)
Live updates : Kashi Vishwanath Corridor inauguration
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December 13, 2021 8:59 PM (IST) Posted by Poorva Joshi
PM Modi poses for a photograph JP Nadda, Yogi, Deputy CMs
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December 13, 2021 7:33 PM (IST) Posted by Poorva Joshi
PM Modi witnesses laser light show at Ganga Ghat
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December 13, 2021 7:17 PM (IST) Posted by Poorva Joshi
PM Modi witnesses 'Ganga Aarti' in Varanasi
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December 13, 2021 6:01 PM (IST) Posted by Nivedita Dash
Akhilesh Yadav is shocked to see such a grand ceremony of Kashi: Swatantra Dev Singh
Akhilesh Yadav is shocked to see such a grand ceremony of Kashi. If Jinnah's idol was unveiled somewhere, he would have jumped with joy and distributed sweets: Swatantra Dev Singh
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December 13, 2021 4:02 PM (IST) Posted by Nivedita Dash
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, CM Yogi Adityanath take a boat ride from Lalita Ghat to Ravidas Ghat
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, CM Yogi Adityanath take a boat ride from Lalita Ghat to Ravidas Ghat.
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December 13, 2021 1:58 PM (IST) Posted by Nivedita Dash
As one enters Kashi, one becomes free from all bondage: PM Modi in Varanasi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates phase 1 of Kashi Vishwanath Dham, constructed at a cost of around Rs 339 crores
It is said in our Puranas that as soon as one enters Kashi, one becomes free from all bondage. Blessings of Lord Vishweshwara, a supernatural energy awakens our inner-soul as soon as we come here, says PM
"This whole new complex of Vishwanath Dham is not just a grand building, this is a symbol of the Sanatan culture of our India... It is a symbol of our spiritual soul...It is a symbol of India's antiquity, traditions...India's energy, mobility"
"When you come here, you will not see only faith. You will also feel the glory of your past here. How antiquity and novelty come alive together... How the inspirations of the ancient are giving direction to the future. We are doing its direct darshan in Vishwanath Dham complex"
"Earlier the temple area here which was only three thousand square feet, it has now become about 5 lakh square feet. Now 50 to 75 thousand devotees can come to the temple and temple premises."
"'Kashi is Avinashi. There's only one government here that of one who holds the 'Damru'. Nothing happens in Kashi without Baba Vishwanath's approval."
"I congratulate our artisans, people associated with our civil engineering, people of administration, those families who had their homes here. Along with all this, I also congratulate the UP government, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ji, who worked tirelessly to complete the Kashi Vishwanath Dham project"
""Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj had come here. From Ranilakshmi Bai to Chandrashekhar Azad, Kashi has been the birthplace of many fighters. Talents like Bharatendu Harishchandra, Jaishankar Prasad, Munshi Premchand, Pandit Ravi Shankar, and Bismillah Khan come from this place"
"For me public is the form of God, every Indian is a part of God, so I want to ask for something. I want three resolutions from you, not for yourself, but for our country - cleanliness, creation and continuous efforts for self-reliant India."
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December 13, 2021 1:57 PM (IST) Posted by Nivedita Dash
PM inaugurates Kashi Vishwanath Corridor
After inaugurating Kashi Vishwanath Corridor, PM Narendra Modi starts his address with the chant of 'Har Har Mahadev'.
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December 13, 2021 1:42 PM (IST) Posted by Nivedita Dash
Everyone's dream has been realised today: CM Yogi
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath while speaking at the occasion said that with the inauguration Kashi Vishwanath Corridor, everyone's dream has been realised. "Thousands of years of penance has appeared to be fruitful today. Every Indian was a witness to the adversity that Kashi had to face for a thousand years."
"When Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi came to Varanasi 100 years ago, he expressed pain seeing narrow streets & filth. Many people came to power in the name of Gandhi Ji, but it's for the first time that his dream of a magnificent Kashi has come true."
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December 13, 2021 1:33 PM (IST) Posted by Nivedita Dash
PM Modi showers flower petals on labourers
At Kashi Vishwanath Corridor PM Modi showers flower petals on the labourers & workers who worked on the project.
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December 13, 2021 1:18 PM (IST) Posted by Nivedita Dash
PM Modi offers prayers at Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi
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December 13, 2021 1:00 PM (IST) Posted by Nivedita Dash
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives at the Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi
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December 13, 2021 12:19 PM (IST) Posted by Nivedita Dash
PM Modi takes holy dip in River Ganga at Varanasi
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December 13, 2021 11:55 AM (IST) Posted by Nivedita Dash
Overwhelmed to reach Kashi: PM Modi tweets
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December 13, 2021 11:33 AM (IST) Posted by Rashi Hardaha
PM Modi arrives at Khidkiya Ghat in Varanasi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives at Khidkiya Ghat in Varanasi.
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December 13, 2021 11:26 AM (IST) Posted by Rashi Hardaha
People greet PM Modi in Varanasi
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December 13, 2021 11:07 AM (IST) Posted by Rashi Hardaha
PM Modi offers prayers at Kaal Bhiarav temple in Varanasi
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December 13, 2021 10:51 AM (IST) Posted by Paras Bisht
PM Modi arrives in Varanasi
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December 13, 2021 10:01 AM (IST) Posted by Paras Bisht
PM Modi's Kashi visit
PM Narendra Modi will offer prayers at Kaal Bhiarav temple & Shri Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi at around 1200 hrs & 1300 hrs, respectively. He will inaugurate Kashi Vishwanath Dham at around 1320 hrs. At around 1800 hrs, PM Modi will witness Ganga aarti.
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December 13, 2021 9:55 AM (IST) Posted by Priya Jaiswal
Varanasi rolls out red carpet for Kashi Vishwanath Corridor inauguration
Varanasi, dressed in its best, has rolled out the red carpet for Prime Minister Narendra Modi who will inaugurate the ambitious Kashi Vishwanath Corridor, a mega project that is expected to boost tourism in the ancient city in a big way, today.
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December 13, 2021 8:11 AM (IST) Posted by Paras Bisht
PM Narendra Modi to inaugurate Kashi Vishwanath Corridor during this two-day visit to Varanasi starting today
Latest visuals from the city
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December 13, 2021 7:58 AM (IST) Posted by Priya Jaiswal
55 HD cameras, one drone: PM Modi's mega Kashi corridor coverage to be as grand
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor project in a grand ceremony, and with 55 high-definition cameras, four jimmy jibs and one huge drone, the national coverage of his event in Varanasi is also set to be "equally monumental", officials sources told PTI.
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December 13, 2021 7:56 AM (IST) Posted by Priya Jaiswal
MP BJP to hold events to coincide with PM's Kashi Vishwanath Corridor inauguration
The Madhya Pradesh unit of Bharatiya Janata Party will hold several programmes at the two 'Jyotirlingas' and main Lord Shiva temples in the state to coincide with the mega event in Varanasi on Monday where Prime Minister Narendra Modi will dedicate to the nation the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor, a functionary of the ruling party said.
“In Madhya Pradesh, the BJP will hold programmes in all 57 organisational districts and 1,070 mandals.
The party will also hold programmes in Jyotirlingas (at Ujjain's Mahakaleshwar and Omkareshwar) located in the state and main temples of Lord Shiva," informed state BJP media in-charge Lokendra Parashar. Spiritual leaders, MPs and MLAs etc will participate in these programmes, which will be broadcast on social media platforms.