Addressing a gathering after the consecration of Ram Lalla at the Ram temple in Ayodhya, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Lord Ram will no longer live in a tent but will now reside in a grand temple.

“It is the ultimate blessing of Ram that we are seeing this,” Modi told a select gathering of top saints, political leaders, industrialists, film stars, poets, litterateurs and sportspersons.

Here are the top quotes from the Prime Minister’s speech:

1. “This is a temple of national consciousness in the form of Ram. Ram is the faith of India, Ram is the foundation of India. Ram is the idea of ​​India, Ram is the law of India…Ram is the prestige of India, Ram is the glory of India…Ram is the leader and Ram is the policy. Ram is eternal…When Ram is honoured, its impact does not last for years or centuries, its impact lasts for thousands of years,” PM Modi said.
2. “I got the opportunity to travel from Sagar to Saryu. From Sagar to Saryu, the same celebration of Ram’s name is being seen everywhere.”
3. “I have strong belief and immense faith that today, the devotees of Lord Ram are completely immersed in this historic moment… The devotees of Lord Ram, in every corner of the country and the world, are feeling it deeply… This moment is divine. Yes, this moment is the most sacred,” Modi said.
4. Speaking on Lord Ram’s exile, PM Modi said, “In that period, the separation was only for 14 years… In this era, Ayodhya and the countrymen have endured hundreds of years of separation. “Many of our generations have suffered this separation.”
5. The Prime Minister thanked the judiciary for the 2019 Ayodhya verdict, saying, “The legal battle over the existence of Lord Ram went on for decades. I would like to express my gratitude to the judiciary of India for delivering justice.
6. “Even after the Constitution came into force, legal battles were fought for decades over the existence of Lord Ram. I want to thank the judiciary which gave justice and the temple of Lord Ram was built in a legal manner,” the Prime Minister said. PM Modi announced that January 22, 2024 is not just a date but marks the arrival of a new era.
7. “Today I also seek forgiveness from Lord Shri Ram. There must have been something lacking in our efforts, sacrifice and penance that we could not do this work for so many centuries. Today the work has been completed. I am confident that Lord Shri Ram will definitely forgive us today,” Modi said.

Earlier today, PM Modi performed several rituals at the temple including ‘Pran Pratishtha’ during the 84-second ‘Abhijeet Muhurta’. At the end of the ritual, the PM prostrated himself before the idol, which depicts Bal Ram.

The ceremony took place in the presence of Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat.