Prime Minister Modi addressed the gathering during the saffron flag hoisting ceremony at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya. He began with the chants, “Jai Siyavar Ramchandra, Jai Siyaram.” He said that today, Ayodhya witnesses a historic turning point in India’s cultural consciousness. The entire nation, and indeed the world, is filled with the spirit of Ram. Every devotee feels an unparalleled sense of satisfaction, boundless gratitude, and immense spiritual joy.
He added, “Centuries-old wounds are being healed, long-standing pain is finding rest, and a centuries-old vow is finally being fulfilled. Today marks the culmination of a 500-year-long yagya, a yajna that remained steadfast in faith and unwavering in belief. The divine energy of the sanctum sanctorum of Shri Ram Temple has now been enshrined in the form of the Dharmadhwaj atop this magnificent temple.”
The Prime Minister said, “The Dharmadhwaj is more than a flag; it is a symbol of the renaissance of Indian civilization. Its saffron hue, the glory of the Suryavansh, the Om symbol, and the Kovidara tree inscribed upon it represent the ideals of Ramrajya. This flag embodies determination, struggle, and ultimate success. It is the realization of a dream nurtured for centuries, the culmination of the spiritual efforts of saints, and the devotion of society at large.”
For centuries to come, this Dharmadhwaj will uphold the ideals of Lord Ram. It will proclaim that truth alone triumphs over falsehood, that dharma is founded on truth, and that promises must always be kept: “Praan jaaye par vachan na jaaye.” It will inspire action and duty, “Karma Pradhan Vishwa Rachi Rakha,” and pray for a society free from discrimination, suffering, and hardship, where peace and happiness prevail.
The Prime Minister added, “The Dharmadhwaj signifies the temple’s purpose. Even those unable to visit in person can derive spiritual merit. This flag allows a glimpse of Ram Lalla’s birthplace from afar, conveying his message and teachings to humanity for generations.” PM Modi expressed heartfelt gratitude to millions of devotees, philanthropists, laborers, planners, and architects who contributed to the Ram Temple’s construction.
“Ayodhya is the land where ideals are transformed into conduct,” he said. This is the city where Shri Ram began his journey. It demonstrated to the world how a person becomes the ideal human through societal values and guidance. When Shri Ram went into exile, he was Prince Ram; upon his return, he emerged as the embodiment of virtue. The wisdom of Maharishi Vashistha, the guidance of Maharishi Vishwamitra and Maharishi Agastya, the friendship of Nishadraj, the devotion of Maa Shabari and Hanuman, and countless others shaped him into the most virtuous man.
The Prime Minister emphasized that the Ram Temple’s divine courtyard is becoming a beacon of India’s collective strength. It houses seven temples, including those of Maa Shabari and Nishadraj Guhya, alongside shrines of Maa Ahalya, Maharishi Valmiki, Maharishi Vashistha, Maharishi Vishwamitra, Maharishi Agastya, and Saint Tulsidas. Here, along with Ram Lalla, every sage and devotee is honored. Even the statues of Jatayu and the humble squirrel reflect how every small effort contributes to achieving great goals.
PM Modi said, “The temple empowers values of faith, friendship, duty, and social harmony. Shri Ram connects with us not by birth or status but by devotion and virtue.” He valued cooperation over power, principles over salvation. Today, India carries forward this spirit. Over the past 11 years, every segment of society, women, Dalits, backward classes, tribal communities, the deprived, farmers, laborers, and youth, has been central to development. By empowering every individual and region, India moves together toward a developed nation. By 2047, as India celebrates 100 years of independence, it will realize a vision of development shaped by the collective efforts of all its people.
Prime Minister Modi said that on the occasion of the consecration of Ram Lalla, while reflecting on the nation’s resolve alongside Ram, he had emphasized that India’s foundation must be strengthened for the next thousand years. He said, “Those who think only of the present do a disservice to future generations. Development and progress must be envisioned not only for today but also for generations to come. This country existed long before us, and it will endure long after we are gone. Our efforts must be guided by vision, keeping in mind the decades and centuries ahead.”
PM Modi said we must draw lessons from Lord Ram and his exemplary personality. We must imbibe his values and conduct. Ram represents ideals, dignity, and the highest standards of character. He embodies the confluence of truth and valor, walks the path of righteousness, and places the welfare of the people above all else. Ram is a river of virtue and forgiveness, a pinnacle of knowledge and wisdom, firm yet gentle, grateful, discerning in his company, humble yet strong, unwavering in his commitment to truth, and disciplined in mind and action. Ram is not merely a person; he is a value, a principle, and a guiding direction for life.
The Prime Minister said that if India is to achieve holistic development and empower its society by 2047, we must awaken the Ram within ourselves. There can be no better day than today to take this resolution. November 25 marks yet another historic moment of pride in India’s heritage. Referring to the Kovidara tree depicted on the flag, PM Modi said it symbolizes the importance of staying rooted. When a civilization forgets its roots, its glory is lost in history.
He recalled how, when Bharata reached Chitrakoot, Lakshmana recognized the army of Ayodhya from afar by seeing a flag resembling a huge, radiant tree, bearing the auspicious Kovidar symbol. Today, the reinstallation of the Kovidar in the Ram Temple grounds signifies not only the return of the tree but also the revival of memory, identity, and self-respect. The Kovidara reminds us that forgetting our identity leads to weakness, while reclaiming it restores the nation’s confidence. True progress requires pride in our heritage and liberation from the mindset of subjugation.
PM Modi highlighted that 190 years ago, in 1835, an Englishman named Macaulay planted the seeds of India’s disconnection from its roots, laying the foundation of mental slavery. Though India achieved political independence, the lingering effects of that mindset remain, fostering the belief that everything foreign is superior, while our own legacy is inferior. The mentality of slavery has led to the mistaken view that India borrowed democracy and even its Constitution from abroad, when in fact, India is the birthplace of democratic ideals. Democracy is ingrained in our very DNA.
He cited Uttara Merur, a village in northern Tamil Nadu, where inscriptions dating back thousands of years reveal democratic governance and people electing their representatives. Despite this ancient tradition, generations of Indians were deprived of such knowledge due to the mentality of slavery. Even symbols of the Indian Navy, which had no connection to our heritage or strength, reflected this legacy. Today, India has restored the legacy of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in the Navy flag, a symbolic and psychological shift that asserts that India defines itself by its own strength and heritage.
PM Modi said that a similar transformation is visible in Ayodhya today. The mentality of slavery had long obscured the essence of Ram. Yet Ram is a timeless value system, present in every corner of India, from King Ram of Orchha to Devotee Ram of Rameshwaram, from Lord Ram of Shabari to the guest Ram of Mithila. He resides in every home, every heart, and in every particle of our land. The Prime Minister pointed out that the mentality of slavery had even gone so far as to dismiss Lord Ram as imaginary.
He asserted that if India resolves to free itself from this mindset in the next ten years, a new flame of confidence will be ignited. The nation will march forward with such determination that nothing will be able to halt the realization of the dream of a Viksit Bharat by 2047.
Prime Minister Modi stated that India’s foundation will be truly strengthened for the next thousand years only when Macaulay’s legacy of mental slavery is completely uprooted within the next decade. He added, “The Ram Lalla temple complex in Ayodhya Dham is becoming increasingly magnificent, and the beautification of Ayodhya is progressing continuously. Today, Ayodhya is once again emerging as a city that will set an example for the world. While the Ayodhya of the Treta Yuga gave humanity the gift of ethics and values, the Ayodhya of the 21st century is offering a new model of development. Then, Ayodhya was the center of dignity; today, it is becoming the backbone of a Viksit Bharat. The Ayodhya of the future will be a confluence of mythology and modernity, where the sacred waters of the Saryu River will flow alongside the stream of development, creating a harmonious blend of spirituality and technology, including artificial intelligence.”
PM Modi highlighted that the Rampath, Bhaktipath, and Janmabhoomi Path offer glimpses of this new Ayodhya. The city now boasts a grand airport and a modern railway station, with trains like the Vande Bharat Express and Amrit Bharat Express connecting it to the rest of the country. Continuous efforts are underway to enhance facilities and ensure prosperity for the people of Ayodhya. Since the consecration ceremony, nearly 450 million devotees have visited the temple, leaving their footprints on this sacred land. This influx has boosted the income of the city and its surrounding areas. Once lagging behind in development, Ayodhya is now among the leading cities of Uttar Pradesh.
The Prime Minister said that the coming decades of the 21st century are critical. In the 70 years since independence, India has become the 11th largest economy in the world, and the day is not far when it will emerge as the third largest. These times are full of new opportunities and immense possibilities. Even during such a crucial period, the ideals of Lord Ram remain our guiding light. When Shri Ram faced the formidable challenge of defeating Ravana, he said that courage and patience are the wheels of the chariot needed to overcome obstacles. “Truth and righteousness serve as its flag, while strength, wisdom, restraint, and altruism are the horses. Forgiveness, compassion, and equality are the reins that keep the chariot on the right path”, he added.
PM Modi emphasized that to accelerate India’s journey towards becoming a developed nation, we must ride a chariot whose wheels embody courage and patience, whose flag represents truth and supreme conduct, whose horses are strength, wisdom, restraint, and altruism, and whose reins are forgiveness, compassion, and equanimity. Such a chariot ensures that success is humble and failure is dignified, and that the national interest is always placed above individual interests. This is the moment for every Indian to stand shoulder to shoulder and accelerate the nation’s progress, building an India inspired by the ideals of Ramrajya.
The ceremony was graced by RSS Chief Dr. Mohan Bhagwat, Governor Anandiben Patel, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, President of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust Mahant Nritya Gopal Das Ji Maharaj, Treasurer Swami Govind Dev Giri Ji Maharaj, along with saints and dignitaries from across the country. The ceremony was conducted by Champat Rai, Secretary of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust.
