- Says “Purvanchal embodies spirituality, devotion, art, cultural heritage”
- Highlights contributions of Ahilyabai Holkar in restoring temples, ghats
- Calls upon youth to remain connected to India’s roots and traditions
Srinagar: Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha Saturday attended 9th Maati Samman Samaroh, a Purvanchal festival of art, culture, food and tourism. On the occasion, the Lieutenant Governor also felicitated distinguished personalities from Purvanchal. Addressing a gathering, the Lieutenant Governor said that historical, cultural and spiritual bonds between Purvanchal and Maharashtra run very deep. A glimpse of it seen in Lord Ram’s Vanvas, when he visited Panchvati and worship at Kashi Vishwanath and Trimbakeshwar has strengthened spiritual traditions of both the regions.
The Lieutenant Governor said that Purvanchal is not just a region on the map but Purvanchal is a consciousness.
“It is a living energy that has offered humanity a fresh perspective. Purvanchal is an idea. To me Purvanchal is both a celebration of spirituality and an expression of devotion. Purvanchal brings the fragrance of art and the exuberance of culture. It is the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna and Sarasvati, and the restraint of ascetic, selfless sages,” the Lieutenant Governor said.
The Lieutenant Governor observed that in modern times, the contributions of LokmataAhilyabai Holkar, Raghunath Rao and Malhar Rao Holkar were extraordinary. He said when Purvanchal was wounded by invaders and it was struggling to reclaim its spiritual and cultural radiance, LokmataAhilyabai Holkar took up the mantle. Lieutenant Governor said that from Kashi Vishwanath Temple to Manikarnika, Dashashwamedh and Ahilyabai ghats, many temples and ghats came into being because of LokmataAhilyabai’s patronage.
The Lieutenant Governor said that saints from Maharashtra and Purvanchal, Sant Tukaram, Sant Gyaneshwar, Sant Namdev, Sant Eknath, Sant Ramdas, Goswami Tulsidas, Sant Kabir and Sant Ravidas awakened social consciousness and showed society a new path.
“I believe Purvanchal, which embodies a heritage from Lord Rama to the Buddha, created ways to reach truth. Several Tirthankaras of Jainism were born in regions of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Places from Ayodhya to Prayagraj, Chitrakoot, Sarnath, Varanasi and Kushinagar continue to guide humanity. In Purvanchal’s soil many Upanishads were born, the Ramcharitmanas took shape, Kabir’s anthologies and Sant Ravidas’s immortal sayings emerged, and numerous Jain and Buddhist texts found their voice. The words of Munshi Premchand and Bharatendu Harishchandra shaped the new ideas. Pandit Ravi Shankar, Bismillah Khan, Girija Devi and Birju Maharaj breathed life into art. Heroes of independence struggle like Mangal Pandey, Chandrashekhar Azad, Ram Prasad Bismil, Ashfaqulla Khan, Rani Lakshmibai and Chittu Pandey changed the nation’s destiny, and selfless leaders like Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya and Babu Shiv Prasad Gupta helped shape the new generation through education,” the Lieutenant Governor said.
The Lieutenant Governor said that in its deepest form Purvanchal is humanity’s story. He said millions of indentured laborers from Purvanchal carried India’s culture to Fiji, Mauritius, Trinidad, Suriname and Guyana, so Purvanchal belongs to every person who stands at the crossroads of global human exchange. He also observed that many districts of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar have made significant contributions to Maharashtra’s economy, and large numbers of migrant workers have powered its industries. He said Saturday Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh function as two of India’s principal economic engines and Maharashtra leads with 15.7% of the nation’s GDP, while Uttar Pradesh contributes 9.2% and ranks second in the country. The Lieutenant Governor also emphasized that new generation must be connected to the roots and traditions.
“No tree grows tall by abandoning its roots. It rises because its roots reach deep into the earth. The deeper the roots, the bolder the branches that stretch toward the sky. This nation was shaped by generations who sacrificed, who lived by values, who nurtured society like a family, and who tended the soul of culture. A nation that knows its own spirit never loses its way. The strength of the future will depend on how deeply we honor our roots,” the Lieutenant Governor said.
