Udupi has been ‘karmabhoomi’ of governance model of Jan Sangh, BJP: Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday that Udupi has been the ‘karmabhoomi’ of the governance model of the Jan Sangh and the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Speaking at the ‘Laksha Kantha Gita Parayana’ programme organised by Udupi Sri Krishna Mutt and Paryaya Puthige Mutt in Udupi, he recalled that in 1968, the people of Udupi elected Jan Sangh’s V. S. Acharya (now no more) to the Udupi Municipal Council, and “with this Udupi laid the foundation of a new governance model.”

He noted that the cleanliness campaign, which is now seen at the national level, was adopted by Udupi five decades ago. “Whether it was providing a new model of water supply and drainage systems, Udupi had initiated such programmes in the 1970s,” the Prime Minister said and added, “Today these campaigns have become part of national development and national priority, guiding the country forward”.

Prime Minister said that though he was born in Gujarat, there has always been a deep and special connection between Gujarat and Udupi. He recalled the belief that the idol of Lord Sri Krishna established in Udupi Sri Krishna Mutt was earlier worshipped in Dwarka by Mata Rukmini, and later Jagadguru Madhvacharya consecrated this idol in Udupi.

Referring to about one lakh people at the programme reciting verses from 18 chapters of Srimad Bhagavad Gita in unison, the Prime Minister said that in society, the recitation of mantras and the shlokas of Bhagavad Gita has been happening for centuries, but when one lakh voices together recite these shlokas in unison, it creates a unique experience.

Mr. Modi further noted that when so many people recite a sacred text like the Gita, when such divine words resonate together at one place, a special energy emerges that gives the mind and intellect a new vibration and a new strength. “This energy is the power of spirituality and also the power of social unity. It also shows the world the strength of collective consciousness,” he said.

The Prime Minister said that by inspiring people across the world to write the Gita in their own hand, the senior pontiff of Putthige Mutt Sugunendra Tirtha has initiated the Koti Gita Lekhana Yajna, which has become a global mass movement of the Sanatan tradition.

He said that Laksha Kantha Gita Parayana programme has become a meaningful effort to connect the next generation with the Bhagavad Gita.

He stated that the entire nation knows the significant role Udupi played in the Ram Mandir movement. He recalled that decades ago, late Vishwesha Tirtha Swamiji of Udupi Pejawar Mutt gave direction to the entire movement.

A gate in the Ram Mandir at Ayodhya complex has been named after Madhwacharya, who founded Asta Mutts of Udupi, he said.