Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant Saturday said Goa is “yog bhoomi (land of devotion/yoga)”, not “bhog bhoomi (land of pleasure)”. Sawant said the coastal state, which has for long been associated with “sun, sand and sea”, is now becoming known for its temples and culture.
He was speaking at the opening ceremony of ‘Sanatan Rashtra Shankhnad Mahotsav’, organised by Goa-based Sanatan Sanstha to commemorate the 83rd birthday of Sanatan Sanstha’s founder Jayant Athavale and the silver jubilee of the organisation.
“When people visited Goa, they used to think it was ‘bhog bhoomi’. This [Goa] is ‘yog bhoomi’, this is ‘Gau mata’s bhoomi (mother cow’s land)’, this is ‘Parshuram’s bhoomi (referring to the belief that Lord Parshuram shot an arrow into the Arabian Sea and parted it, creating Goa),” said the Chief Minister.
“Earlier, people used to come to Goa for sun, sand and sea. But now they come here to see Goa’s ancient and grand temples, the state’s culture and villages. We have temples from the Kadamba dynasty and the Maratha era. We have renovated them. This along with Kaavi art are major attractions. The Sanatan Sanstha has an ashram here… In Sanguem, a Sanskrit teaching school has come up and people from across the country are now coming to study Sanskrit scriptures and economics there,” he said.
Sanatan Sanstha, which has branches across Goa and Maharashtra, said the three-day event marks an “auspicious beginning to unite all in the mission to re-establish Sanatan Rashtra (Ram Rajya), paving the way for India to once again rise as the Vishwaguru (world leader)”.
Sawant’s presence at the inauguration marks a rare instance of a Chief Minister of the state attending an event organised by the Sanstha. Union MoS for Power, New and Renewable Energy Shripad Naik, Goa Power Minister Ramkrishna ‘Sudin’ Dhavalikar, state Minister for Social Welfare Subhash Phal Dessai and state BJP president Damodar ‘Damu’ Naik were also present on the stage for the inaugural session.
In his speech, Sawant said that everyone who resides in India is a “Hindustani” regardless of their religion.
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“We all say this country is one Hindustan. People living here, irrespective of their caste or religion, still call themselves Hindustani. We say whether it’s a Hindu or a Muslim or Sikh or Christian or Buddhist, everyone living in this country is a ‘Hindustani’. That is why it is a ‘Hindu rashtra (Hindu nation)’. When we say Hindustani, it is not to taunt anyone’s religion. Everyone has [the duty] to follow their religion and live their life according to the principles of their religion. The Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) has stressed ‘Sabka saath, sabka vikas’,” Sawant said.
“We say in this Hindustan, we… Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians all live together. This is Goa’s speciality. It is the first state to follow the Uniform Civil Code and we say it with pride,” the CM said.
Hailing Sanatan Sanstha’s contribution to “spiritual uplift of society”, Sawant said the organisation has been playing a crucial role in propagating Sanatan dharma for the past 25 years and its task was akin to that of a “lighthouse”, promoting the teachings of Hindu religion.
“I consider myself fortunate that this event is taking place on this sacred land of Goa. The Sanatan culture and the Shankhnad Mahotsav will give a fillip to the state’s economy and boost tourism. I have full confidence that people will come to visit the temples here from across the country and globe too,” he said.
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
