PM’s speech at commemoration of 1111th Avataran Mahotsav of Bhagwan Shri Devnarayan Ji in Bhilwara, Rajasthan
Speaker: Narendra Modi
Date: 28 Jan, 2023

Malaseri Dungari ki Jai, Malaseri Dungari ki Jai! Sadu Mata ki Jai, Sadu Mata ki Jai! Savai Bhoj Maharaj ki Jai, Savai Bhoj Maharaj ki Jai! Devnarayan Bhagwan ki Jai, Devnarayan Bhagwan ki Jai! I bow to the land of asceticism of Sadu Mata, to the ‘karma bhoomi’ of great patron and warrior Bagrawat, the birthplace of Bhagwan Devnarayan and Malaseri Dungari! Shri Hemraj ji Gurjar, Shri Suresh Das ji, Deepak Patil ji, Ram Prasad Dhabai ji, Arjun Meghwal ji, Subhash Baheria ji, and my dear brothers and sisters from all over the country! On this auspicious occasion, Bhagwan Devnarayan ji’s call came and does anyone miss the opportunity when Bhagwan Devnarayan calls? So, I am also present here amongst you. You must remember that it is not the Prime Minister who has come here. I have come with full devotion to seek the blessings like you. I also got the good fortune of making offerings in the ‘Yajnashala’. It is also a matter of great fortune that a common man like me has got this virtue of being with you today and receiving the blessings of Bhagwan Devnarayan ji and all his devotees. Today I am blessed to have ‘darshan’ of both Bhagwan Devnarayan and the people. Like all the devotees who have come here from all over the country, I too have come here to seek blessings from Bhagwan Devnarayan for continuous service to the nation and for the welfare of the poor. Friends, This is the 1111th Avataran Mahotsav of Bhagwan Devnarayan ji. Week-long celebrations are going on here in this regard. The Gurjar community has ensured such a huge participation of people which is fitting to the occasion, grandeur and divinity. I congratulate all of you and appreciate the efforts of each and every person of the community for this. Brothers and sisters, We the people of India take pride in our thousands of years of old history, civilization and culture. Many civilizations of the world finished with time and could not mold themselves with the changes. Many attempts were made to break India geographically, culturally, socially and ideologically. But no power could destroy India. India is not just a mass of land, but an expression of our civilization, culture, harmony and potential. Therefore, India is today laying the foundation of its glorious future. And do you know, what is the biggest inspiration and force behind this? By whose power and blessings is India steadfast and immortal? My dear brothers and sisters, This power is the power of our society. It is the power of crores of people of the country. Social power has played a huge role in India’s journey of thousands of years. It has been our good fortune that in every important period, one such energy emerges from within our society, whose light shows direction to all and brings welfare to all. Bhagwan Devnarayan was also such a powerhouse, an incarnation, who protected our lives and our culture from the oppressors. At the age of 31, he became immortal. He dared to remove the evils in the society, united the society and spread the spirit of harmony. Bhagwan Devnarayan worked towards establishing an ideal system by uniting different sections of the society. This is the reason why every section of the society has reverence and faith towards Bhagwan Devnarayan. That’s why Bhagwan Devnarayan is still treated like the head of the family in public life, with whom the happiness and sorrows of the family are shared. Brothers and sisters, Bhagwan Devnarayan always gave supreme importance to service and public welfare. Every devotee leaves here with this lesson and inspiration. The family that he belonged to had no dearth of anything. But instead of comforts, he chose the difficult path of service and public welfare. He also used his energy for the welfare of the living beings. Brothers and sisters, ‘Bhala ji Bhala, Dev Bhala’. ‘Bhala ji Bhala, Dev Bhala’. In this statement, there is a wish for righteousness; there is a wish for welfare. The path shown by Bhagwan Devnarayan is ‘Sabka Vikas’ (everyone’s development) through ‘Sabka Saath’ (everyone’s support). Today the country is walking on this path. For the last 8-9 years, the country has been trying to empower every section of the society, which has been neglected and deprived. We are walking with the mantra of giving preference to the underprivileged. You recall that a major concern of the poor used to be whether the ration will be available or not and how much it will be available. Today every beneficiary is getting full ration, free of cost. We have also addressed the concern of the poor regarding treatment in the hospital through the Ayushman Bharat scheme. We are also taking care of the concerns of the poor about the house, toilet, electricity, gas connection, etc. Banking transactions were also limited to very few people. Today the doors of banks have opened for everyone in the country. Friends, Who else can know the importance of water better than Rajasthan? But only three crore families of the country had the facility of tap water even after several decades of independence. More than 16 crore rural households had to struggle for water. Due to the efforts made in the country within the last three and a half years, piped water is now available to more than 11 crore families. Extensive work is also underway to provide water to the fields of the farmers. Whether it is expansion of traditional schemes of irrigation or irrigation with new technology, every possible help is being given to the farmers today. The small farmer, who once yearned for government help, is also getting direct help from the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi for the first time. Here in Rajasthan too, more than 15,000 crore rupees have been sent directly to the farmers in their bank accounts under the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi. Friends, Bhagwan Devnarayan had made ‘Gau Seva’ (service to cows) a medium of social service and empowerment of the society. For the last few years, this feeling of ‘Gau Seva’ is continuously getting stronger in the country as well. You know very well our cattle had enormous problems in the form of hoof and mouth, foot and mouth diseases. A huge campaign of free vaccination of crores of animals is going on in the country so that our cows and livestock are saved from these diseases. The Rashtriya Kamdhenu Commission has been formed for the welfare of cows for the first time in the country. Under the Rashtriya Gokul Mission, emphasis is being laid on encouraging animal husbandry through scientific methods. Livestock is not only a part of our tradition and faith, but also a strong part of our rural economy. Therefore, the Kisan Credit Card facility has also been extended to the herdsmen for the first time. Today, Gobardhan Yojana is also going on in the entire country. This is a campaign to convert agricultural waste including cow dung into wealth. Efforts are also being made to ensure that our dairy plants run on the electricity generated from cow dung. Friends, Last year, I gave a call of ‘Panch Prana’ (five pledges) from the ramparts of the Red Fort on the occasion of Independence Day. The aim is that we all should take pride in our heritage, come out of the slave mentality and remember our duties towards the country. Walking on the path shown by our sages and remembering the valor of those who made supreme sacrifices and our bravehearts are also part of this resolution. Rajasthan is a land of heritage. There is creation, enthusiasm and celebration. There is also hard work and charity. Bravery is a household ritual here. Art and music is synonymous with Rajasthan. Equally important is the struggle and restraint of the people here. This inspirational place has been a witness to the personalities of many glorious moments of India. From Tejaji to Pabuji, from Gogaji to Ramdevji, from Bappa Rawal to Maharana Pratap, great men, people’s heroes, local deities and social reformers have always guided the country. There is hardly any period of history in which this soil has not inspired the nation. In this too, the Gurjar society has been synonymous with bravery, valour and patriotism. Be it the defence of the nation or the protection of culture, the Gurjar community has played the role of a sentinel in every period. The peasant movement of Bijolia led by Krantiveer Bhoop Singh Gurjar, better known as Vijay Singh Pathik, was a major inspiration in the freedom struggle. There have been many warriors like Kotwal Dhan Singh ji and Jograj Singh ji who sacrificed their lives for the country. Not only this, women power like Rampyari Gurjar and Panna Dai continues to inspire us every moment. This shows that the sisters and daughters of Gurjar community have made a huge contribution in the service of the country and culture. And this tradition is continuously getting enriched even today. It is the country’s misfortune that such countless fighters could not get the place they deserved in our history. But today’s new India is also correcting those mistakes committed in the past several decades. Now, whoever has contributed to protect India’s culture and freedom and to India’s development is being brought to the fore. Friends, Today it is also equally important that the new generation, the youth of our Gurjar community should take forward the messages and teachings of Bhagwan Devnarayan. This will not only empower the Gurjar community but will help the country to move forward as well. Friends, This period of 21st century is very important for the development of Rajasthan and India. We have to unite and work for the development of the country. Today the entire world is looking towards India with great hopes. The way India has shown its potential to the whole world, it has also increased the pride of this land of warriors. Today India makes its point forcefully on every major platform of the world. Today India is reducing its dependence on other countries. Therefore, we have to stay away from all such issues, which are against the unity of our countrymen. We have to live up to the expectations of the world by proving our resolutions. I have full faith that we will definitely be successful with the blessings of Bhagwan Devnarayan ji. We will work hard together and everyone’s efforts will lead to success. And see what a coincidence this is. India is presiding over the G-20 on the 1111th Avataran year of Bhagwan Devnarayan. Bhagwan Devnarayan descended on a lotus, and the entire earth has been placed on a lotus in the logo of the G-20. This is also a big coincidence and we are those people who were born with lotus. And therefore, we have a deep relationship with you. I bow down to the revered saints who have come here in such a large number to bless us. I also express my heartfelt gratitude to the Gurjar society for inviting me today as a devotee. This is not a government program. The power and devotion of the society inspired me and I reached among you. Many best wishes to all of you! Jai Dev Darbar! Jai Dev Darbar! Jai Dev Darbar!