PM Modi hoists saffron flag at Ram Mandir
Ayodhya, Nov 25: Marking what Prime Minister Modi called “yet another pinnacle of India’s cultural consciousness,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday ceremonially hoisted a sacred saffron flag atop the Shikhar of the Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Temple in Ayodhya.
The Dhwajarohan Utsav, held amid chants and devotional fervour, officially symbolised the completion of the temple’s construction and the beginning of “a new chapter of cultural celebration and national unity.”
RSS Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat , Governor Anandiben Patel and Chief Minister of UP Yogi Adityanath were among the dignitaries present at the ceremony, held on the auspicious Panchami of the Margashirsha month, coinciding with Vivah Panchami and the Shaheedi Diwas of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji, making it a day of profound spiritual resonance.
Standing before the grand temple, the Prime Minister Modi said, “Today the entire India and the entire world is filled with the spirit of lord Shri Ram. In the heart of every devotee of Ram, there is unique satisfaction, boundless gratitude, and immense transcendental joy.”
He said Ayodhya was witnessing a historic turn in civilisational memory: “Centuries-old wounds are healing, centuries of pain are coming to an end, and centuries of resolve are attaining fulfilment today. This marks the culmination of a yajna whose fire remained ignited for 500 years, a yajna that never wavered in faith, never broke in belief even for a moment.”
Explaining the significance of the saffron banner, PM Modi said, “This Dharma Dhwaja is not merely a flag, it is the flag of the renaissance of Indian civilisation.”
Elaborating on its symbolism, he said, “Its saffron colour, the glory of the Solar dynasty inscribed upon it, the sacred Om depicted, and the engraved Kovidar tree, all symbolise the greatness of Ram Rajya.”
Calling it a manifestation of collective memory and resilience, he said, “This flag is resolve, this flag is success, this flag is the saga of creation through struggle. It is the embodiment of dreams carried forward for centuries, and the meaningful culmination of the penance of saints and the participation of society.”
Proclaiming that the Dharma Dhwaja would outlive generations, he said, “For centuries and millennia to come, this flag will proclaim that victory belongs only to truth, not to falsehood. It will inspire the resolve that what is spoken must be fulfilled, that karma and duty must hold primacy.”
The PM said our scriptures teach that even those who cannot reach the temple can earn merit merely by bowing before the flag.
“This Dharma Dhwaja is a symbol of the temple’s purpose. From afar, it will provide the vision of Ram Lalla’s birthplace while carrying His commands and inspirations to humanity for ages to come,” he said.
PM Modi bowed to all devotees worldwide and expressed gratitude to every donor, artisan, planner, architect and worker who contributed to the temple’s construction.
“Ayodhya is the land where ideals transform into conduct,” he said. “Here, Shri Ram began His journey, and through the strength of society and values, Ram became ‘Maryada Purushottam’.”
The PM pointed to the presence of seven newly built temples on the premises, including those of Mata Shabari and Nishadraj, representing social harmony and collective values.
“These temples empower the values of friendship, duty, and social harmony. Whenever devotees visit the Ram Mandir, they must also visit the seven temples. The smallest efforts, like the squirrel’s or Jatayu’s, teach us that every contribution matters,” he said.
Reaffirming his government’s approach to inclusive development, PM Modi said, “For Shri Ram, devotion is more important than lineage, values are dearer than ancestry, and cooperation is greater than mere strength. In the past 11 years, every section of society, women, Dalits, tribals, farmers, workers, youth,has been placed at the centre of development.”
When every Indian progresses, he said, “Everyone’s effort becomes the strength of the nation.’ “By 2047, it is through these collective efforts that a developed India will be built.”
Reflecting on the vision he outlined during the Pran Pratishtha ceremony, the Prime Minister said, “Those who think only of the present commit injustice to future generations. We must strengthen India today for the coming thousand years. Ram is not merely a person; Ram is the confluence of truth and valour, the embodiment of dharma, the ocean of patience and forgiveness, the pinnacle of wisdom, and the unwavering resolve of truth.”
He urged citizens to internalise Ram’s values saying, “If India is to become developed by 2047, Ram must be awakened within each of us, consecrated in our own hearts.” Explaining the reappearance of the Kovidar symbol on the Dharma Dhwaja, PM Modi cited Valmiki’s Ramayana: “When Bharat reached Chitrakoot, Lakshman recognised Ayodhya’s army only by its radiant, towering flag, marked with the auspicious Kovidar.”
He said, “Today, as the Kovidar returns to Ayodhya, it is not merely the return of a tree — it is the resurgence of identity and the renewal of a proud civilisation. When identity returns, a nation’s confidence also returns.”
In one of the strongest parts of his address, PM Modi called for “complete liberation from the mentality of slavery within the next ten years.”
He said, “In 1835, Macaulay sowed the seeds of mental slavery. In 2035, two hundred years will have passed. The coming decade must be dedicated to freeing India from this chain.”
He said that democracy was not foreign to India but indigenous.
“A thousand years ago, Uttiramerur in Tamil Nadu elected its rulers democratically. Anubhava Mantapa under Lord Basavanna was a forum for public debate and collective decision-making. Yet generations were deprived of this knowledge,” the PM said.
He said that symbols of the colonial mindset have begun to fall, including the redesign of the Indian Navy flag.
“It was not merely a change in design, but a declaration that India will define its strength through its own symbols, not through the legacy of others,” PM Modi said.
He said that Ayodhya is emerging as the backbone of a developed India.
“In the Treta Yuga, Ayodhya gave humanity its code of conduct. In the 21st century, it is offering humanity a new model of development. Here tradition and modernity will walk together, where the sacred flow of the Sarayu and the stream of development run side by side,” the PM said.
He highlighted the ongoing development works and said, “Since the Pran Pratishtha, nearly 45 crore devotees have visited for darshan. Ayodhya, which once lagged behind, is now among the leading cities of Uttar Pradesh.”
Quoting a lesson from the Ramayana, he described the components of lord Ram’s chariot saying, “Its wheels were valor and patience, its flag truth and good conduct, its horses strength, wisdom, restraint and benevolence, and its reins forgiveness, compassion and equality.”
He said that to build a developed India, the same formula must guide us.
“The flag of our chariot must be truth, policy and morality must never be compromised. The reins must be forgiveness and compassion, with no arrogance in success, and respect even in defeat,” PM Modi said. “This moment is one of standing shoulder to shoulder. It is time to accelerate our journey and build a Bharat inspired by Ram Rajya -where national interest remains supreme over self-interest.” The newly hoisted triangular saffron flag measures ten feet by twenty feet, bearing the radiant Sun of Bhagwan Shri Ram, an Om symbol, and the sacred image of the Kovidara tree, standing as what the Prime Minister called “a message of dignity, unity, and cultural continuity, an eternal symbol of Ram Rajya.”
