Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said that India was witnessing a historic civilisational moment as he performed the Dhwajarohan ceremony at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, declaring that “the wounds of centuries are healing" and the “pain of centuries is finally coming to an end."

Addressing thousands of devotees gathered at the temple complex, the Prime Minister said Ayodhya had become a living symbol of India’s renewed cultural consciousness.

“Today, the entire India and the world is Ram-may," he said. “There is extraordinary satisfaction in the heart of every Ram devotee. There is boundless gratitude. There is unfathomable supernatural bliss. The wounds of centuries are being healed. The resolve of centuries is being fulfilled today." Modi added that the day marked the completion of “that sacrifice whose fire remained lit for 500 years," describing the moment as one of profound spiritual and cultural culmination.

Calling the Dharma Dhwaj a powerful symbol rather than a ceremonial object, Modi said the flag represented India’s collective journey through adversity and perseverance. “This Dharma Dhwaj is a symbol of resolve. This Dharma Dhwaj is the story of triumph born out of struggle. This Dharma Dhwaj is the realised form of a dream carried for centuries," he said. He added that the flag was “the sacred outcome of the saints’ devotion and the collective participation of society," and that it would continue for millennia to “proclaim the ideals and principles of Lord Ram."

Emphasising the unifying power of faith, the Prime Minister said the connection with Lord Ram transcended divisions. “We connect with our Ram not through distinctions, but through emotions," he said, adding that Ram’s values—duty, compassion, courage and justice—should shape India’s path in the decades ahead. Modi said that if the country aspired to become a developed nation by 2047, it must draw inspiration from Ram’s ideals. “If India is to become developed by the year 2047 — if people want to empower themselves — then we must walk the path shown by Ram."

Modi described the ceremony as a moment that had brought immense fulfilment to millions of devotees worldwide. “Today, the name of Lord Ram resonates across the entire world," he said. “Every devotee carries an unparalleled sense of fulfilment in the heart. Every devotee carries gratitude that cannot be measured." He added that Ayodhya’s transformation and the completion of the temple were reminders of India’s spiritual continuity and cultural resurgence. He also stressed that “India is the mother of democracy" and must preserve this strength as it moves forward.

The Prime Minister said Ayodhya, long associated with both faith and struggle, was now standing as a beacon of cultural pride. “Today, the city of Ayodhya is becoming a witness to India’s cultural consciousness," he said. Modi added that the nation must break free from the legacy of colonial structures and mindsets.

“Complete freedom from colonial mindset — 2035 will mark 200 years of Macaulay’s damage; the next 10 years will end this slavery mentality," he said. He also linked India’s cultural resurgence to the values embodied by Lord Ram, noting, “Ram values devotion over caste, values over lineage, cooperation over power. Today, India is moving forward with the same spirit."

Source: News18