PM Modi arrives in Kedarnath, inaugurates Adi Shankaracharya statue
What's the story
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday arrived in the temple town of Kedarnath in Uttarakhand. He offered prayers at the Kedarnath shrine and also unveiled a 12-feet statue of Adi Guru Shankaracharya. The PM had reached Dehradun early morning where he was received by Uttarakhand Governor Lt. Gen. Gurmit Singh (Retired) and Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami. Here are more details on this.
Quote
'A view of India's spiritual prosperity'
"You all are witness to the inauguration of Adi Shankaracharya Samadhi here today. His devotees are present here," PM Modi said. "Adi Shankaracharya's samadhi is a supernatural view of India's spiritual prosperity and breadth," he added.
Twitter Post
Here is a video of the statue
Glimpses of the 12-foot Murti of Adi Guru Adi Shankaracharya to be inaugurated by PM Sh @narendramodi ji in Kedarnath tomorrow, Nov 5th.
— G Kishan Reddy (@kishanreddybjp) November 4, 2021
On this occasion, pogrammes are being organized at Jyotirlingas, Jyotishpeeth at the birthplace of the Jagadguru in Kalady, Kerala. pic.twitter.com/H71CHtX3af
Context
Why does it matter?
PM Modi's visit and the inauguration of development projects comes just months before Uttarakhand is set to go to polls early next year. Elections to the 70-member Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly will likely be held in February 2022. Friday also marks PM Modi's fifth visit to the Kedarnath temple after taking charge of the top post.
Details
Statue reconstructed after 2013 floods
The Adi Shankaracharya statue has been reconstructed after it was washed away in the devastating Uttarakhand floods of 2013. It reportedly weighs 35 tonnes and has been made by Mysore-based sculptors using chlorite schist, a rock that is known to tolerate rain, sunshine, and harsh climate. The statue has been built by excavating land behind the Kedarnath temple.
Projects
Projects worth Rs. 300 crore coming up
PM Modi will also lay the foundation stone of reconstruction projects worth over Rs. 300 crore. Saraswati Retaining Wall Aasthapath and Ghats, Mandakini Retaining Wall Aasthapath, Tirth Purohit Houses, and Garud Chatti bridge on the Mandakini river are some of the projects the PM will inaugurate during his visit. "The Prime Minister's vision is to develop Devbhoomi," CM Dhami said.
Details
PM Modi's Diwali with soldiers
On Thursday, PM Modi had addressed soldiers on the occasion of Diwali at Nowshera sector in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district. He has been paying similar visits for the past several years. Last year, he had spent Diwali with soldiers and Border Security Force (BSF) jawans in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan. PM Modi had celebrated Diwali in 2019 at the Rajouri Army Division Headquarters.