Jaipur Dialogues Modi’s Temple Trails-A Ramayana Connection!

[Apoorva Devanshi]

Ahead of the Pran-Pratishtha, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earmarked his 11-day “Yam Niyama” and a pilgrimage journey. He started this ritual under the guidance of some saints and, since then, has been on a coconut water and fruit diet. During this time, he visited many temples, and his trail seems to have a Ramayan connection.

Modi’s Trail-​

• Panchavati: He first visited the famous Kalaram temple, situated in Maharashtra’s Panchavati region. It is the location where Shri Ram, Sita, and Laxman spent a significant portion of their 14-year exile. At this temple, PM Modi offered his prayers and listened to the “Bhavartha Ramayan,” written in Marathi. He also launched the “Swatchh Teerth” campaign here.
• Shri Ram had used his “kala roop” to slay 14,000 demons, hence the name “Kalaram” for this place. It is the same place from which Ravana abducted Sita. The kidnapping set off a series of events that eventually resulted in Shri Ram traveling southward toward Lanka and defeating Ravana in war.
• Lepakshi: On January 16, PM Modi left Nashik and traveled more than 1,000 km south to Lepakshi, Andhra Pradesh, where he paid a visit to the “Veerbhadra Temple.” Here he chanted “bhajans” and listened to the Telugu version of the Ramayana, known as the “Ranganatha Ramayan.”
• Lepakshi has great significance in the Ramayana. It is the place where Jatayu fell wounded while trying to rescue Sita from the Ravana who had abducted her. Later on, when Shri Rama came to this place, Jatayu revealed all that he had witnessed and Sita’s whereabouts. Shri Rama, touched by his sacrifice, gave him moksha by uttering “Le Pakshi,” which in Telugu means “Rise, Bird.”
• Kerela: After Andhra Pradesh, PM Modi visited the Sri Ramaswami temple in Kerala’s Thrissur district. Shri Krishna is believed to have worshipped the idol of Shri Rama located here. Apart from that, a special worship called “Vedi Vazhipadu” is also performed here.
• People burst crackers to commemorate Hanuman’s return from Lanka following his meeting with Sita. Then “Chakyar Koothu” is offered at the temple as a form of performing art. In this play of 12 days, an episode from the “Anguliyangam” of the Ramayana is enacted. The play shows how Hanuman brought back a piece of ornament given by Sita to Shri Ram.
• PM Modi’s visit here aligns with the sequence of Ramayan. After meeting Jatayu, Shri Rama reached Kishkinda. There, he met Hanuman and Sugriva, who had offered to help him find Sita. Later on, Hanuman found Sita in Ashok Vatika and flew back bearing a ring that Sita had asked him to give to Shri Rama.
• Ranganathaswamy Temple: The Ramayana is likewise in line with this temple visit. It is said that as a token of gratitude, Shri Rama gave Vibhishan the aradhana murty of Vishnu belonging to his own dynasty. But he told Vibhishan not to keep the idol on the ground when he was returning to Lanka. If he kept it on the ground, it would become permanently fixed there.
• When Vibhishan was traveling through Tiruchirapalli, he decided to take a bath in the Kaveri River. He entrusted the idol for some time to a local boy whom he had met on the bank of the river. When he came back, he saw the idol on the ground, and since then it has been there. Thousands of years later, a Chola dynasty king found the idol and built the Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple.
• Rameswaram: Then PM Modi travelled 230 km south from Trichy to the well-known pilgrimage site of Rameswaram. Here, he visited the renowned Arulmigu Ramanathaswamy Temple, which is one of the jyotirlingas. Shri Ram believed it was necessary to atone for killing a Brahmin (Ravana) as he traveled back to India from Lanka.
• Shiva Ji then advised him to make a Shivling and carry out his puja. To find a Shivling, Shri Ram dispatched Hanuman to Mount Kailasa. But Hanuman couldn’t come back on time, so Sita built a Shivling with sand from the seashore.
• Dhanushkodi, Tamil Nadu After visiting all of the Ram temples, Prime Minister Modi performed a puja at the Kothandaramaswamy Temple in Dhanushkodi. The deity of this temple is Sri Kothandarama Swamy. The term “Kothandarama” means “Rama holding a bow.” This is because it is believed that following the battle, Shri Ram used his bow and arrow to break the “Ram Setu.” It is also believed to be the place where Shri Ram conducted Vibhishan’s coronation.
• Additionally, he paid floral tributes at the seashore and visited the Arichal Munai, which is close to Dhanushkodi. It is thought to be the location where Shri Rama vowed to kill Ravana.

His Message-​

Ahead of the Pran-Pratishtha, Prime Minister Modi made visits to various temples spread across India from north to south. It should be highlighted that while making his visits to various temples, he not only spent time there but also acknowledged their uniqueness. Be it the puppet show or listening to the recitation of the Ramayana in eight different languages. It was not only for religious purposes that he visited these temples. He is also trying to unify the country into a single cultural identity. He is trying to remind us all that despite our differences, be it different regional languages or practices, Shri Rama and the love for Shri Rama connect us all. Be it by way of the “Kashi Tamil Sangam” or “Shri Ramayana Paryana” program.

The intention of the Modi government is clear: unification of the country by “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, and Sabka Prayaas” towards a resurgent Bharat!

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