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New Delhi, Oct 26 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday addressed the nation in the 127th edition of the monthly radio broadcast ‘Mann Ki Baat’, where he greeted the countrymen on the occasion of Chhath, saluted the efforts of young creatives in reviving Sanskrit and also talked about issues like bringing Indian coffee into the global spotlight.
Extending warm wishes on the auspicious occasion of Chhath Puja, he said it is a “beautiful example” of India’s social unity, where people from all sections of the society come together to pray.
PM Modi said, “The entire country is now filled with festive joy. We all celebrated Diwali a few days ago and now a large number of people are busy in Chhath Puja. Thekua is being made in homes, ghats are being decorated everywhere and markets are bustling with activity. A mix of devotion, warmth and tradition can be seen everywhere.”
Chhath Puja, the four-day festival of faith and devotion, began on Saturday with the sacred ritual of Nahay-Khay. Dedicated to the Sun God, this festival celebrates harmony between nature and humanity, symbolizing purity, gratitude and discipline.
Praising the devotion, he said, “The way women observing Chhath fast prepare for this festival with dedication and sincerity is truly inspiring in itself.”
He said, “The great festival of Chhath is a reflection of the deep unity between culture, nature and society. People from every section of the society stand together at the Chhath Ghats. This scene is the most beautiful example of social unity of India.”
He also urged people to participate in the festivities.
The Prime Minister also shared messages from people in response to his recent letter addressed to the nation during this festive season, which emphasized the country’s achievements.
He said that he received messages from many citizens in response to his letter.
He said, “Operation Sindoor has indeed filled every Indian with pride. This year, lamps of happiness were lit even in areas where the darkness of Maoist terror once reigned. People want the complete eradication of this Maoist menace which has endangered the future of their children.”
Speaking about ‘GST Bachat Utsav’, PM Modi said that there is a lot of enthusiasm among the people about it.
Praising the increase in the use of ‘Swadeshi’ products during the festive season, he said, “Another pleasant thing during the festivals this time is that there has been a huge increase in the purchase of ‘Swadeshi’ products in the markets. In the letters that people sent me, they shared the ‘Swadeshi’ products they had purchased.”
He also mentioned that he received many messages on cleanliness and sanitation efforts. He praised initiatives like ‘The Garbage Café’ in Ambikapur, Chhattisgarh, where food is provided in exchange for plastic waste. He also highlighted a similar effort by Bengaluru engineer Kapil Sharma, who started a campaign to revive the city’s lakes.
PM Modi also congratulated the Border Security Force (BSF) and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) for their efforts to increase the number of Indian breed dogs in their units.
“Many of you would remember that about five years ago, I had discussed Indian breed dogs in this programme. I had urged my fellow citizens and our security forces to adopt Indian breed dogs, as they adapt more easily to our environment and conditions. I am happy to say that our security agencies have made commendable efforts in this direction. BSF and CRPF have Indian breed dogs in their contingent. The numbers have increased.”
He further informed, “BSF’s National Training Center for dogs is located at Tekanpur, Gwalior. Here, special attention is being given to Rampur Hound of Uttar Pradesh and Mudhol Hound of Karnataka and Maharashtra. At this centre, trainers are training dogs more effectively with the help of technology and innovation.”
Notably, the BSF is all set to showcase a special marching contingent of indigenous Indian breed dogs during the upcoming Unity Day Parade in Ekta Nagar, Gujarat.
The Prime Minister further highlighted Odisha’s famous Koraput coffee and said, “Indian coffee is coffee at its finest – made in India and loved by the world.”
The Prime Minister said, “You all know about my association with tea, but today I thought why not discuss coffee in ‘Mann Ki Baat’! You may remember that last year we had talked about Araku coffee in ‘Mann Ki Baat’. Some time back, many people of Odisha had also shared their feelings with me about Koraput coffee. They had written to me saying that Koraput coffee should also be discussed in ‘Mann Ki Baat’. Needed.”
He further added, “Indian coffee is becoming very popular all over the world. Be it Chikmagalur, Coorg and Hassan in Karnataka; the regions of Pulani, Shevaroy, Nilgiri and Annamalai in Tamil Nadu; the Biligiri region on the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border; or the regions of Wayanad, Travancore and Malabar in Kerala – the diversity of Indian coffee is truly prodigious.”
He said, “There are many women in whose lives coffee has brought a pleasant change. I am told that our North-East is also making progress in coffee cultivation. This is further strengthening the identity of Indian coffee across the world.”
The Prime Minister also paid tribute to respected tribal leader Komaram Bhima, who led the Gond rebellion in 1928 against the British and the feudal Nizams of Hyderabad.
“At the beginning of the 20th century, it was a crime to utter a single word against the Nizam, the young man had openly challenged an officer of the Nizam named Siddiqui. The Nizam had sent Siddiqui to confiscate the crops of the farmers. But in this struggle against oppression, the young man killed Siddiqui. He also managed to escape arrest. Escaping from the tyrannical police of the Nizam, the young man reached Assam, hundreds of kilometers away, PM Modi said in the radio programme.
He said, “The great personality I am talking about is Komaram Bheem. His birth anniversary was celebrated on October 22. Komaram Bheem’s life was not long; he lived only for 40 years, but during his lifetime he left an indelible mark on the hearts of countless people, especially the tribal community.”
She also praised the creativity of India’s youth and their deep connection with the country’s cultural roots, and described the efforts of two sisters – Kamla and Janhvi – as ‘fantastic’.
“There is another young man’s channel on Instagram named ‘Sanskrit Chatroham’. The young man running this channel not only gives information related to Sanskrit, but also makes humorous videos in Sanskrit. The youth love these videos in Sanskrit. Many of you may have also seen Samashti’s videos. Samashti presents his songs in Sanskrit in countless ways. Another young man is Bhavesh Bhimanathani. Bhavesh Sanskrit Let’s talk about shlokas, spiritual philosophies and principles,” he said.
–IANS
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