Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday dedicated a road junction here to the memory of legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar, saying people experienced Lord Ram through her songs.
PM Modi described the deity, for whom a grand temple is coming up in the city, as a symbol of the country.
"From Ayodhya to Rameswaram, Ram exists in every particle of India," he said in a recorded message played out at the event on the birth anniversary of the singer.
PM Modi said the sweetness of the singer's voice mesmerised him every time he spoke to her.
Be it the "Shri Ramchandra Kripalu Bhaj Mann, Haran Bhava Bhaya Darunam" mantra or hymns like "Payo Ji Maine Ram Ratan Dhan Payo" of Mirabai and Mahatma Gandhi's favourite "Vaishnav Jan", many countrymen had the darshan of Lord Ram through her songs, the prime minister said.
Mr Modi recalled that after the "bhoomi pujan" of the Ram temple here, he got a call from Lata didi who expressed great happiness at the development.
The prime minister referred to a hymn sung by the singer, "Mann ki Ayodhya Tab Tak Sooni, Jab Tak Ram Na Aaye", and said her name is now permanently associated with the holy city.
Advertisement"Lord Rama is about to arrive in the grand temple of Ayodhya," he said referring to the temple.
Quoting the Ram Charit Manas, Modi recited "Ram te adhik, Ram kar dasa", which means devotees of Lord Rama arrive before the Lord's arrival.
AdvertisementThe Lata Mangeshkar chowk built in her memory has come up before the completion of the grand temple, he noted.
Underlining that the veena of Goddess Saraswati installed at the chowk will become a symbol of musical practice, the prime minister said 92 white lotuses made of marble in the flowing waters of the lake in the chowk complex represent the life span of the singer.
AdvertisementThe 40-ft-long and 12-metre-high veena weighs 14 tonnes. "Lata Ji was one such seeker of Maa Saraswati, who stunned the whole world with her divine voice. Lata Ji did 'sadhana', we all got the boon!," he said, adding the mantras recited by her echoed her faith, spirituality and purity.
On the occasion, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said his party's double-engine government is determined to develop every place having religious and spiritual significance.
Lata Mangeshkar's family members Adinath and Krishna Mangeshkar, who were also special guests, got emotional at the event.
Yogi Adityanath said Lata didi's day started with worshipping Lord Ram and that he was overwhelmed to see her divine and grand memorial built in Ayodhya.
The intersection at the banks of the Saryu river has been developed at an estimated cost of Rs 7.9 crore, according to officials.
Satyendra Singh, secretary of the Ayodhya Development Authority, said the giant veena has been made by Padma Shri recipient Ram Sutar, who took two months to make it.
"The beautifully designed veena has a picture of Saraswati, the goddess of music, engraved on it," he added.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
