Junagadh: Prime Minister Shri Narendrabhai Modi addresses 14th Patotsav of Umiya Mandir at Ganthila in Junagadh district of Gujarat. 14 years ago, Shri Narendrabhai had performed inaugural ceremony of this same Mandir. Goddess Umiya is chief deity of Kadva Patidar community in Gujarat. DeshGujarat

Highlights of Gujarati speech in estimated translated English:

– If I had come physically, it could be a pleasure for me also, but even from a distance, I am having darshan of old guards.

-Today is the 9th day of Chaitri Navratri. I wish Goddess Siddhadatri fulfill your all wishes.

– This is the bhumi of Jap and tap, shiksha and diksha. This is the bhumi of Bhagwan Dattatreya’s seat. I bow down to this bhumi.

– I have always experienced this strength of the people collectively (samuhik shakti). Today is also Ram Navami which is being celebrated in Ayodhya and elsewhere in the country.

– It is not new for me to come to you. In last 35 years, it always happened that I came to you.

– This pilgrim place has not just remained the center of Shraddha but also for Samajik chetna and even tourism. There has been an expansion of this place with the addition of a grand kitchen, marriage hall, rooms and other facilities within a short period of 14 years.

– As the Chief Minister in his address said just now that this dharti is our mata and we can’t cause pain to it, I want to ask – shall we continue to feed medicines and blood bottles to our mother when it is not necessary? We feed our dharti mata with unnecessary items and it has created problems.

– We had been living in a shortage of water. Famine was regular here. As we started the water conservation movement, SAUNI yojana etc efforts we gradually came out of those problems. Because we started a movement by the people, for the welfare of the people. Today awareness has been achieved related to water conservation, but we must not remain stagnant and keep employing our efforts every year for that.

– Gujarat has got a Governor who is dedicated to the cause of the spread of natural farming. He has addressed a number of farmers’ gatherings. Parshottam Rupala has told me that lakhs of farmers have started natural farming. It is cheaper. The farmers in every village of Gujarat should come forward and work for dharti mata.

– I have seen that once you take up some task, you don’t look back. I remember that in Unjha, I had urged for ‘Beti Bachao’ and the community gave a great response to that call.

– A daughter from Mahesana, a divyang achieved a medal in the Olympics recently. Our daughters have this strength within.

– The other thing I want to point out is that, we can’t allow malnutrition. If our daughter is anemic, and marries at a young age and gets pregnant, imagine what would happen. We must think about nutrition. You can hold a competition for healthy children in villages.

– The wedding halls should host coaching classes when they are not used for hosting weddings. Similarly, Yoga programme can also take place at the same place on a daily basis. The space should be utilized.

– On the occasion of Amrut Mahotsav of Azadi, Amrut Sarovar (water reservoir) should be developed at 75 places per district. I have conveyed this to the government also. After some 25 years when Shatabdi (100 years) of independence will be marked, the new generation will see that our elders did this task while marking 75 years of independence. Patidars can be Panidar when there’s Pani. This task has to be completed by August 2023. A national tricolor should be hoisted at such reservoirs every year.

– One who takes care of the last mile person earns respect. Goddess Umiya’s bhakts should consider taking poor, backward, pained people along in their path of progress. If all are not taken forward, some would stay backward and that would also adversely affect the further forward journey of those moving on the forward path.

– We don’t believe Covid problem has ended. It keeps surfacing at places. And we don’t know when it can return. We administered 185 crore dose. It’s a matter of surprise for the people across the world. But we could do it due to the support of the community. Cleanliness, single use plastic ….. We are the followers of Goddess Umiya, and if we throw plastic somewhere and if it is consumed by a cow then we are responsible for it. DeshGujarat