Ahead of the consecration ceremony of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya on 22 January, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday urged people to share their creativity through songs, poems and ‘bhajans’ on social media with the hashtag Shri Ram Bhajan (#shriRamBhajan).
A wave of excitement and enthusiasm is currently sweeping the nation ahead of the grand event in Ayodhya, Modi said in the 108th episode of his monthly ‘Mann Ki Baat’ broadcast over All India Radio.
“People are expressing their feelings in diverse ways. You must have noticed that in the last few days, many new songs and bhajans have been composed on Shri Ram and Ayodhya,” he said, adding that many people are also penning new poems.
“Many experienced artists are involved in it and new emerging young artists are also composing heart-warming bhajans. I have also shared some songs and bhajans on my social media platforms. It seems that the art world too is engaging in this historic moment in its own unique style,” the Prime Minister said.
“One thing comes to my mind… could we all share all such creations with a common hashtag? I request you to share your creations on social media with the hashtag Shri Ram Bhajan (#ShriRamBhajan),” he said.
This compilation will turn into a stream of emotions and devotion in which everyone would like to be immersed to imbue themselves with the ethos of Lord Ram, the PM said.
In the broadcast, Modi said today every corner of India resonates with self-confidence and is infused with the spirit of a developed and self-reliant India.
“We have to maintain the same spirit and momentum in 2024 as well. The record business on Diwali proved that every Indian is giving importance to the mantra of ‘Vocal For Local’,” he said.
In the address, the Prime Minister also said it is on account of the strength of 140 crore Indians that this year, India has attained many special achievements.
“This year also witnessed the passage of the long-awaited ‘Nari Shakti Vandan Act’ (women’s reservation bill),” Modi said.
“Many people wrote letters expressing joy on India becoming the 5th largest economy. Many people also reminded me of the success of the G20 Summit,” he said.
The Prime Minister further said that many people are also sending him messages about the success of Chandrayaan-3.
“I am sure that, like me, you too will be proud of our scientists, especially the women scientists,” he said.
In his address, the Prime Minister also talked about the performance of Indian sportspersons. He said the country’s athletes too performed extremely well in sports this year. “Our players won 107 medals in the Asian Games and 111 medals in the Asian Para Games,” he added.
Modi said that Indian players won everyone’s hearts with their stellar performance in the Cricket World Cup.
“The victory of our women’s cricket team in the Under-19 T-20 World Cup is very inspiring. The achievements of players in many other sports added to the glory of the country. Now Paris Olympics will be held in 2024, for which the whole country is encouraging players,” he said.
Highlighting the significance of mental health, Modi said: “Today people discuss a lot about physical health and well-being but an equally crucial aspect is mental health. I am very happy to learn that Mumbai-based startups like Infi-Heal and YOUR-Dost are working to improve mental health and well-being. That apart, technologies like Artificial Intelligence are also contributing immensely to address these challenges,” he said.
“I can mention the names of only a few startups here because the list is too long. I request all of you to keep writing to me about innovative healthcare startups as they play a pivotal role in realising the dream of a Fit India,” the Prime Minister said.
In the broadcast, Modi also shared the experiences of well-known people such as Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, cricket player Harmanpreet Kaur, Grandmaster Vishwanathan Anand, actor Akshay Kumar and young startup founder Rishabh Malhotra who offered valuable insights into the aspects of both physical and mental health.