Lucknow, 06 March (HS) : Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said here on Saturday that India’s rich cultural heritage should be established on a global platform through the tradition of Lord Shri Ram. In this regard, the material available in relation to Lord Shri Ram in all languages, folk traditions, folklore should be used. He said that the culture of Lord Shri Ram is the first culture, which made its place on the global stage. Thousands of years later, the culture of Lord Buddha was established in the world.
The Chief Minister was on the day speaking at the inauguration of the curtain raiser book of the Ramayana Vishwa Mahakosh (Global Encyclopedia of the Ramayana) and the inauguration of the workshop at Sant Gadge Auditorium in the state capital. The workshop is being organized by the Culture Department of the UP Government. During the programme, he released the curtain-raiser book of ‘Ramayana Vishwa Mahakosh’. He, on the occasion also launched an e-book of the Ramayan Encyclopedia.
On this occasion, the Chief Minister also released other books on Lord Ram published by the Ayodhya Sodh Sansthan, a research institute of the Culture Department. A short film based on the Ramayana Vishwa Mahakosh was also screened during the programme.
Describing the publication of Ramayana Vishwa Mahakosh as a good and positive initiative, the CM said that this work should be taken forward by the Ayodhya Sodh Santhan in all seriousness.
CM Yogi said that this work should be brought before the world by connecting it with digital form. The Ramayana Vishwa Mahakosh will become a medium to present the worldwide form of the Ramayana, he added. Appreciating the Culture Department for organizing the workshop in relation to Lord Shri Ram, he said that this work should be taken forward as a campaign with the help of appropriate people and technology.
The Chief Minister said that everyone interested in Lord Shri Ram, the Ramayana, and the Indian culture should cooperate in this important work. Effort should be made to compile and digitize the manus available with public and museums related with Lord Shri Ram and Ramayana, he said and added that this effort needs to be done at the local and state level as well as at the global level.
Referring to various incidents of Ramayana including Pushpak Viman, the Chief Minister said that there is a coordination of science and spirituality in Ramayana. In all the events of Ramayana, Lord Shri Ram has kept himself in human dignity, that was his greatness. He moved forward enduring the sufferings of a normal human being. Ramayana Vishwa Mahakosh will introduce us to the untouched aspects of science and spirituality, he opined.
The Chief Minister said that the boundaries of present India from North to South are the same today as they were in the Ramayana period. The credit goes to Maryada Purushottam Lord Shri Ram. Lord Shri Ram performed the cultural unification work of Aryavarta and Dravidian. The Ramayana culture also expanded to the east and west. Residents of Southeast Asia feel proud of Lord Shri Ram. Despite the separation of worship practices in Indonesia, Lord Shri Ram is considered to be an ancestor. Taxila is named after Taksha, son of Bharata, brother of Lord Shri Ram in the west.
The CM also said that India’s reputation has increased at the international level due to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The clean, safe and well-organized event of Prayagraj Kumbh-2019 as a unique event under the inspiration and guidance of the Prime Minister has improved India’s global image, he added.
He said that UNESCO recognized Kumbh as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity. With the efforts of the Prime Minister, 21 June is being celebrated as International Yoga Day all over the world. He said that yoga is the cornerstone of the spiritual progress of India.
Addressing the programme, the UP Minister for Culture, Tourism and Religious Affairs, Dr. Neelkanth Tiwari said that Uttar Pradesh is setting standards in every field under the leadership of CM Yogi. Today the UP model is being discussed all over the country, he said adding that Lord Ram is the basis of Indian culture. Those who believe in various forms of Lord Ram are all over the world. Ramayana Vishwa Mahakosh is being composed under the direction of the Chief Minister, the culture minister said.
Additional Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India Akhilesh Mishra, Vice-Chancellor of Dr. Sampurnanand Sanskrit University, Varanasi, Prof. Rajaram Shukla, Vice-Chancellor of Mahatma Gandhi International Hindi University, Wardha, Prof. Rajneesh Kumar Shukla, President of Uttar Pradesh State Higher Education Council, Prof. GC Tripathi, Principal Secretary Tourism and Culture and Chairman Ayodhya Sodh Sansthan Mukesh Meshram, Director Information and Culture Shishir and other dignitaries were also present on the occasion. Director Ayodhya Sodh Sansthan YP Singh conduted the proceedings.
