Redevlopment of centres of faith in India shows the country’s growing pride in its ancient saints and philosophers, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Friday, addressing a gathering of priests and devotees while inaugurating the rebuilt ‘samadhi’ of Adi Shankaracharya.

The Prime Minister said, as he sat in front of the ‘samadhi’, he felt that a powerful spiritual message was flowing from the holy place to the whole of India.

The speech, and his worship at the Kedarnath shrine, plus the visit to the redeveloped shrine site after the terrible natural calamity 8-9 years ago, were widely televised across the nation, drawing sense of awe and appreciation from people. Several thousand parallel programme, too, were organised across the country to match with the programme at Kedarnath shrine.

Modi underlined the spiritual importance of the initiatives ...

FOR the first time, possibly, did a modern leader explain the metaphor of the famed Kedarnath shrine in the Himalayas. In that effort, Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi meant to state that the shrine had its own importance in the Indian thought-process because it stood as a mark of honour of the country’s history, tradition and spirituality. Standing in front of hundreds of devotees in the sun-drenched Kedarnath site with snow-capped Himalayan mountains forming a glorious circle around the place, the Prime Minister offered extensive Sanskrit quotations from ancient texts as well as from Ram Charit Manas highlighting spirituality that is so deeply embedded in Indian psyche. He also referred to the upcoming event of construction of Shri Ram Temple at Ayodhya. Mr. Modi recalled how Adi Shankaracharya made monumental contribution to India’s spiritual personality in a short life during which he toured India several times to establish many centres of faith.

One’s mind darts back in time to recall the importance of Kedarnath and countless other centres of faith that are not just physical symbols of culture, but have a spiritual value and importance. Kedarnath stands as a symbol of an ancient historical reality dating back at least to pre-Mahabharat times. It was here that even Lord Krishna offered prayers during his pilgrimage. It was here that Adi Shankaracharya travelled from the country’s souther tip of Kerala and then travelled around the country creating a network of mutts (monasteries). During his travels, he engaged various scholars and believers of different value-systems in detailed debates and won them over as his disciples. In the process, the young monk created a veritable treasure of spiritual and religious literature without which it is not possible to imagine India’s rich ethos. In all that monumental effort, Kedarnath was one of the most important spots where Adi Shankaracharya spent quite some time, and finally surrendered himself in a ‘samadhi’. For the average Hindu believer, Kedarnath, thus has a dual importance -- as the shrine of Lord Shiva, and as the final resting place of Adi Shankaracharya.

Of course, massive snowfall blocks any human presence at Kedarnath for nearly six month of the year. So, the shrine is closed. It is during these months, as the belief goes, Lord Shiva himself descends at Kedarnath for meditation. When the snowfall recedes, then the shrine is re-opened for devotees. Kedarnath shrine, thus, is one place that the Lord and his devotees share for their respective spiritual pursuits.

That the shrine remained intact even through the terrible earthquake, landslide, and floods on 2013 is considered to be a miracle when everything else was devastated, razed to ground, including the ‘samadhi’ of Adi Shankaracharya.

The legend of Kedarnath has, thus, expanded over time. With passage of time, the faith of the devotees also has become firmer -- in the process attracting more numbers every passing year.

Those who have studied India’s history of faith realise the importance of Kedarnath from that perspective. They consider Kedarnath as the northern-most point of geo-cultural integration of Bharat. India may have been divided in smaller political entities all right, but centres of faith such as Kedarnath at different peripheral locations around the country indicate its cultural integration. It is this concept that western-oriented minds just cannot understand -- as their idea of integration related mostly to geographical entity of a political State.

Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi referred to this indirectly in his Kedarnath speech and said, in effect, that in countless homes across the country, children are taught verses that speak of how they belong to a land that is washed by waters of several rivers across the geographical landscape, and their faith embellished by various other centres of faith spread across the land. In support, the Prime Minister quoted several Sanskrit verses.

The shrine at Kedarnath, thus, does form a point of faith, but it also has rich historical legacy to talk of, to learn from, to strengthen the process of integration.

In the past some years, a twisted narrative is being thrust upon the nation, pushing down the people’s throats much wrong information and deliberately-misguided interpretation of various events of history as well as what is being called proudly as Sanatana Dharma. However, such a narrative is being rejected by increasing numbers of Indian people simply because it tries to obliterate the fact known to them through generations, and militates against their fundamental faith. It is out of this mindset that the common people appreciate initiatives such as the one at Kedarnath where a massive and scientific reconstruction of historical monuments and centres of faith is undertaken.

The importance of such efforts cannot just be understated. Much work is still to be done in this regard all over the country. The good part is that the people welcome it.