More than 51,000 venues gear up for the telecast of the mega ceremony of the inauguration of “Kashi Vishwanath Dham” (Kashi Vishwanath Corridor) by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi This will be followed by a month-long cultural exercise in Varanasi on Monday. If one sits down to trace the PM’s deep connection with the religious and spiritual city of Kashi, they will lead to a long history of association with it long before Modi became the Prime Minister of India.
Before PM Modi started representing Varanasi in Parliament, he got many opportunities to visit the holy abode of ‘Baba Vishwanath’. While each subsequent visit further strengthened the Prime Minister’s bond with the city, it also fueled his desire to contribute to the city’s spiritual uplift and bring the city back to its lost splendor.
When PM Modi came to Kashi to file his nomination for the elections, he had said, “I have neither come here nor brought here, but I have been called by Ganga Maa herself.” Keeping this in mind, he adopted the path of reconstruction of the city. The fruits of their labor soon became visible with the development of infrastructure and 360 degree transformation of Kashi. But, it was a lifelong dream of PM Modi to contribute to help Kashi Vishwanath Temple regain the aura of the past. With this, he started the journey of development of Kashi Vishwanath Corridor.
restoring a lost tradition
People in Kashi had an age-old tradition of bathing in the holy Ganges, carrying Gangajal from there and offering it to the temple. Over the centuries, due to large-scale construction and encroachment on the surrounding area, this ritual began to fade. The unabated construction also made it a difficult task for the devotees to reach the temple and have ‘darshan’.
It was PM Modi’s long-standing wish to restore the age-old ritual. To achieve this, PM Modi conceptualized the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor to connect the river Ganga with the Kashi Vishwanath Temple.
Pilgrim’s Amenities
The PM’s idea about the corridor revolves around preserving the spiritual fervor of the pilgrims, who were obstructed by the clogged roads and dirty surroundings on their way from the Ganga Ghat to the temple. The vision of the PM was to transform this corridor in such a way that it not only sustains the spiritual fervor of the pilgrims but also exceeds their expectations so that their mind is filled with joy. So he asked the architects to “build a corridor of such stature that would blow the mind of every pilgrim”. Keeping this in mind, the work of the corridor started.
start of effort
On March 8, 2019, at the foundation stone laying ceremony of the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor project, PM Modi had said, “I don’t know, maybe ‘Bhole Baba’ (Lord Shiva) must have decided that son you talk a lot. Come here and speak Have courage. And maybe, call it Bhole Baba’s order or blessings, but today that dream is starting to come true.”
‘Sabka Prayas’ – A Litigation Free Project
At the time of conception, given the area’s topography and the dense presence of the population living there, it was considered a nearly impossible project as every inch of space was covered by one structure or the other. So acquisition of properties was a major hurdle. PM Modi directed the officials to ensure that everyone is taken along through continuous dialogue. The PM asked the officials to adopt a flexible and patient approach and give time to resolve all the grievances. As a result of this approach the project became litigation free.
The land became available for the project as a result of the sacrifice of about 400 families.
Conversion
Before and after photos can be found out how much of the challenge was overcome. In 2017 the site looked like this. Only a visionary leader could see what no one else could see for so long, who helped build this corridor and bring it into existence.
Design, development and monitoring – an eye for detail
While land acquisition was one aspect of the project, the other part of the project’s journey was its design and development. PM Modi not only gave initial briefings to the architects, but also gave frequent inputs and insights for architectural design, including review through 3D models of the project. His attention to detail is also reflected in his input on making the area disabled-friendly.
Along with the design of the project, PM Modi also played an active role in the execution. He also monitored the progress of the project through video conferencing during the COVID period.
Despite Covid, with Baba’s blessings, PM’s efforts reflected in completing the project in record time. The PM epitomized this sentiment when he said, “Even in tough times, Kashi has shown that she doesn’t stop, she doesn’t get tired.”
finding a lost legacy
PM Modi’s vision was also to ensure that the properties that clog the proposed corridor are being removed, as well as preserve the existing heritage structures. This vision of the PM came in handy when during the demolition of buildings, more than 40 ancient temples like Shri Gangeshwar Mahadev Temple, Manokameshwar Mahadev Temple, Jauvinayak Temple, Shri Kumbha Mahadev Temple etc were discovered which were joined over the years . Multi-storey buildings on the way. These are not ‘small’ temples; Each of them has a history that goes back a few centuries. These rediscovered temples will further enrich the glorious heritage of the city.
This rediscovery of lost heritage is in line with the vision of the Prime Minister and tireless efforts of cultural restoration by bringing back the lost heritage from foreign lands as well. This was recently symbolized through her effort to bring back the rare idol of Mother Annapurna Devi from Canada and install it in the Kashi Vishwanath Temple.
New India – Modern as well as Spiritual
PM Modi’s odyssey for the development of the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor reflects his unique vision of building a New India – a nation with a modern outlook, standing confidently on the foundations laid through spiritual re-awakening.
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