Harmony of spirituality, national service and development essential for a developed India !

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call at the 550th-anniversary celebrations of Shree Samsthan Gokarn Partagali Jeevottam Math

• Unveiling of the 77-ft bronze Idol of Shriram

Cancona (Goa), 28 November – Goa’s temples, culture and language have faced repeated assaults over the centuries, yet the people of Gomantak confronted every adversity and preserved their ancestral culture. Shree Samsthan Gokarn Partagali Jeevottam Math has been a fountain of spiritual energy and has consistently brought people together. By upholding spiritual tradition, the Math has united society through humility, service and values. It has given refuge to every section of society. Whenever Goa went through difficult times, the Math extended support. Goa is a spiritual powerhouse and the southern Kashi of Bharat. To realise the vision of ‘Viksit Bharat 2047’, a balanced synthesis of spirituality, national service, and development is crucial, Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed.

Earlier, on the occasion of the 550th anniversary of Shree Samsthan Gokarn Partagali Jeevottam Math, Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled the magnificent 77-ft bronze Idol of Shriram. During the ceremony, the Prime Minister expressed his thoughts on spirituality, history, culture and development. Seated on the dais were Shrimat Vidyadhish Teerth Shripad Vader Swamiji, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, Governor Pusapati Ashok Gajapathi Raju, Union Minister Shripad Naik, Public Works Minister Digambar Kamat, Sports Minister Ramesh Tawadkar, and Central Committee President Srinivas Dempo. Math President Srinivas Dempo deilvered the welcome address. Before the event, the Prime Minister visited the Math for darshan. A series of religious programmes has been organised from 27 November to 7 December to mark the Math’s 550th anniversary. The entire surroundings of the Math have been fully renovated.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi further said, “Even as circumstances changed, the Partagali Math continued its service activities without deviating from its direction. On the contrary, it guided people towards the right path. The soil of Goa has been a turning point in my life. It is this land that elevated me to this position. Goa has achieved progress in per-capita income, tourism and infrastructure. Goa’s sacred land is blessed with centuries of spiritual legacy. The path to a developed India lies in unity. Goa, a major tourism hub, and the spiritually active Shree Samsthan Gokarn Partagali Jeevottam Math will have an important role in realising the goal of ‘Viksit Bharat 2047’.”

CM Pramod Sawant: The Math has carried forward the heritage of the spiritual tradition

Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said, “For 550 years, Shree Samsthan Gokarn Partagali Jeevottam Math has worked for Hindu Dharma. Many rulers governed Goa in the past. Some attempted to destroy local culture and temples, yet through Brahmatej and Kshatratej, the Math played a vital role in the protection of Dharma. It has preserved the spiritual tradition. I express gratitude to the devotees who collectively performed 550 crore Shriram-naam-jap. The Partagali Math, known as the southern Ayodhya, deserves commendation. Math culture, bhajan tradition and the wari tradition highlight Goa as a spiritual centre. The Goa Government is committed to taking the spiritual and religious heritage of the State forward. Goa is the land of Parashuram. The Government has restored the Shri Saptakoteshwar temple at Narve–Dicholi, originally built by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The Portuguese destroyed more than one thousand temples in Goa. As a symbolic replication of the reconstruction of these temples, the State will build the ‘Koti Teerth Corridor’ on Divar island. To achieve ‘Viksit Goa 2037’, development of infrastructure and human resources is underway, along with the spiritual upliftment of Goa. Going forward, the Partagali Math will also become a major centre of tourism in Goa.”

A large number of devotees from Goa, Karnataka, Maharashtra and other States attended the ceremony. Goa Police deployed nearly one thousand personnel for security.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a ‘Dharmaputra’ ! – Shrimat Vidyadhish Teerth Shripad Vader Swamiji

Shrimat Vidyadhish Teerth Shripad Vader Swamiji said, “The presence of the Prime Minister, who calls himself the ‘Pradhan Sevak’, makes this day a golden chapter in the history of the Math. The Prime Minister observes the Chaturmas vow with a single meal a day and also fasts during Navratri — this is remarkable. He constructed the temple of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya and unveiled the Idol of Shriram at southern Ayodhya (Partagali Math). His actions are akin to those of Bhagwan Shrikrushna, and for this, he is truly a ‘Dharmaputra’.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi released a special ₹550 coin to mark the 550th anniversary of the Math. The coin weighs 35 grams and contains 50% silver, 40% copper, 5% zinc and 5% nickel.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged Math devotees to undertake the following nine resolutions

Water conservation; protection of the environment; making cleanliness a daily habit; adopting swadeshi (vocal for local); exploring the nation; promoting natural farming; using millets; reducing oil consumption in food by 10%; adopting a healthy lifestyle through yoga and sports; and serving the poor through any possible means. A commemorative postal stamp was also released on the occasion.