The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi participated in Sant Mirabai Janmotsav, a program to celebrate the 525th birth anniversary of Sant Mirabai in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh today. Prime Minister Modi released a commemorative stamp and coin in honour of Sant Mira Bai. He also took a walkthrough of an exhibition and witnessed a cultural programme. The occasion marks the initiation of year-long programs in the memory of Sant Mirabai.

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister expressed happiness and gratitude to be in Braj Bhoomi and amongst the people of Braj. He paid rich tributes to the divine importance of the land. He bowed to Lord Krishna, Radha Rani, Mira Bai and all saints of Braj. The Prime Minister praised the efforts of Smt Hema Malini as the Member of Parliament from Mathura and said that she has completely immersed herself in the devotion of Lord Krishna.

Highlighting the connections of Lord Krishna and Mirabai with Gujarat, the Prime Minister said that it makes his visit to Mathura even more special. “Kanhiya of Mathura transformed to Dwarkadhish after visiting Gujarat”, he emphasized, adding that Sant Mirabai ji who hailed from Rajasthan and filled the corridors of Mathura with love and affection spent her final days in Dwarka, Gujarat. He underlined that the people from Gujarat consider it the blessing of Dwarkadhish when they get the opportunity to visit Braj spread across Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. Shri Modi also added that he has now been a part of Uttar Pradesh since 2014 when he became the MP from Varanasi. 

The Prime Minister said that the 525th birth anniversary of Sant Mirabai is not merely a birth anniversary but “a celebration of the entire culture and tradition of love in India.” A celebration of the thought that considers Nar and Narayan, Jeev and Shiv, devotee and the god as one”. 

The Prime Minister recalled that Mirabai came from the land of sacrifice and valour, Rajasthan. He also pointed out that 84 ‘kos’ Braj Mandal is part of both Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. “Mirabai nurtured the consciousness of India with devotion and spiritualism. This event in her memory reminds us about the valour and sacrifice of India along with India’s Bhakti tradition as people of Rajasthan remained steadfast like a wall while protecting India’s culture and consciousness”, he added.  

“Bharat has been devoted to Nari Shakti for aeons”, the Prime Minister remarked noting that it is the Brajwasis who have acknowledged it more than anybody else. In the land of Kanhaiya, the Prime Minister said, every welcome, address and felicitation begins with ‘Radhe Radhe’. “Krishna’s name becomes complete only when prefixed with Radha”, Shri Modi underlined. He credited these ideals to the contributions made by women towards nation-building and paving the way forward for society. Underlining that Mirabai is a perfect example, the Prime Minister recited a couplet by her and explained the underlying message that whatever falls between the sky and the earth will eventually come to an end. 

The Prime Minister said that Mirabai demonstrated in those difficult times that the inner force of a woman is capable of guiding the entire world. Sant Ravidas was her Guru. Sant Mirabai was a great social reformer too. He said here verses show us the path even today. She teaches us to stay connected with our values without being bound to stereotypes. 

Prime Minister Modi took the opportunity to highlight the undying spirit of India and said that an awakened energy source from some part of the country has always arisen to lead the way when the consciousness of India has come under attack or weakened. He said that some luminaries became warriors while some became saints. Giving examples of the saints of Bhakti Kaal namely Alavar and Nayanar Sants and Acharchya Ramanujacharya from South India, Tuslidas, Kabirdas, Ravidas and Surdas from North India, Guru Nanak Dev from Punjab, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu from Bengal in the East, Narsinh Mehta from Gujarat and Tukaram and Namdev from Maharashtra in the West, the Prime Minister said that they forged the path of renunciation and also moulded India. Even though their languages and cultures were different from one another, the Prime Minister said that their message was the same and they anchored the entire nation with their devotion and knowledge. 

“Mathura has been the place of confluence of the different streams of ‘Bhakti Andolan’”, the Prime Minister remarked as he gave examples of Maluk Das, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Mahaprabhu Vallabhacharya, Swami Hari Das, and Swami Hith Harivansh Mahaprabhu who breathed in new consciousness into the nation. “This Bhakti Yajna is being carried forward today with the blessings of Lord Shri Krishna”, he added. 

The Prime Minister lamented that Mathura did not get the attention that it deserved as people devoid of the sense of the glorious past of India could not rid themselves of the mentality of slavery and kept the Braj Bhoomi deprived of development. The Prime Minister said that in this time of Amrit Kaal, the nation has come out of the slave mentality for the first time. He said that a pledge of Panch Prans had been taken from the ramparts of the Red Fort. Referring to the revamped grand Kashi Vishwanath Dham, Kedar Nath Dham, upcoming date of Shri Ram Temple, the Prime Minister said “Mathura and Braj will not be left behind in this race of development.” He expressed happiness that  ‘Uttar Pradesh Braj Teerth Vikas Parishad’ has been established for the development of Braj. “This council is doing a lot of work for the convenience of the devotees and the development of the pilgrimage”, he said

Shri Modi reiterated that the entire region is associated with the ‘leelas’ of Kanha and gave examples of areas like Mathura, Vrindavan, Bharatpur, Karauli, Agra, Firozabad, Kasganj, Palwal, Ballabhgarh which fall in different states. He informed that the Government of India is making efforts to develop this entire area in collaboration with different state governments.

Concluding the address, the Prime Minister emphasized that the changes and developments taking place in the Braj region and the country are not just a change in the system but a symbol of the changing nature of the nation’s reawakening consciousness. “Mahabharata is proof that wherever India is reborn, there is definitely the blessings of Shri Krishna behind it”, he concluded underlining that the country will accomplish its resolutions and build a Viksit Bharat. 

Governor of Uttar Pradesh, Smt Anandiben Patel, Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Shri Yogi Adityanath, Deputy Chief Ministers of Uttar Pradesh, Shri Keshav Prasad Maurya and Shri Brajesh Pathak, and Member of Parliament from Mathura, Smt Hema Malini were present on the occasion among others. 

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