On Janjatiya Gaurav Divas, Throwback At …

Last updated:November 15, 2024, 16:13 IST

Modi Archive, a popular social media handle on X, shared instances of the prime minister’s personal and personal interactions with tribal communities, explaining how these experiences helped him understand their struggles.

Narendra Modi’s early years were marked by traveling on foot, bicycle, and motorcycle through remote tribal areas. (X @modiarchive)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s tribal outreach and efforts to uplift the community are no secret. On Friday, the prime minister paid tributes to Bhagwan Birsa Munda on his birthday, which is commemorated as Janjatiya Gaurav Divas and celebrated on November 15 from 2021 to honor the sacrifices of tribal freedom fighters.

In a statement, the Prime Minister’s Office said that during his visit, Modi will inaugurate and lay the foundation stones of several development projects worth over Rs 6,640 crore aimed at improving tribal communities and improving infrastructure in rural and remote areas of the region.

Meanwhile, the Modi Archive, which handles the popular social media on X, shared instances of the prime minister’s personal and personal interactions with tribal communities, explaining how these experiences helped him understand the struggles of tribal communities and inspired him to work for inclusive growth.

“Narendra Modi’s early years were marked by traveling on foot, bicycle and motorcycle through remote tribal areas,” the handle said, citing several instances of his experiences with tribal communities across the country.

MORE CHILDREN

PM Modi once visited the Swayamsevak hut where he lived with his wife and son. Swayamsevak’s wife gives half a bajra bread with a bowl of milk as a sign of hospitality. Modi noticed the boy’s gaze focused on the milk and quickly understood his desire. After breakfast, Modi only eats bread with water, and does not touch milk. The boy eagerly drank it all at once, a sight that brought Modi to tears. In that moment, he realized the deep reality of poverty and hunger in his country.

12 DAYS, 50 BOOKS

Young Modi once gave a speech that was so impactful that businessmen gave him blank checks for tribal welfare.

In the early 1980s, when the foundation of the Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram was laid in Ahmedabad, fundraising was planned to support tribal welfare. An invitation goes out to the influential business community in the city, asking them to donate.

Among the speakers was the young Narendra Modi, who took the stage and delivered a powerful 90-minute speech on the importance of tribal development. Speaking with passion and conviction that shook every heart in the room, Narendra Modi’s words were so moving that many businessmen gave blank checks as donations, believing in his vision.

In just 12 days, Modi immersed himself in more than 50 books on tribal challenges, equipping himself to explain the issue well.

MARUTI KI PRAN PRATISHTHA

In 1983, a trip to South Gujarat brought Modi face to face with the tribal situation in Dharampur. His struggle inspired him to write the poem “Maruti ki Pran Pratishtha”.

Narendra Modi, then in the RSS, was invited to participate in the ‘pran pratishtha’ of a Hanuman temple in South Gujarat. The drive is long, and there is no soul in sight for kilometers in the stretch. On his way to the village, he saw the Dharampur tribe surviving on meager resources. His body has turned black. Witnessing this scene for the first time in his life, Modi was deeply affected. On his way home, he wrote a poem titled “Maruti ki Pran Pratishtha” about the condition of the tribe and its struggle.

In Dharampur, several Hanuman temples, including Bhava Bhairav ​​Temple, Panwa Hanuman Temple, Badi Faliya, and other local temples, are worshiped by the tribal community even today.

It is known that Narendra Modi once visited Dharampur forest along with his ‘Vanbandhu’ friends, where they installed an idol of Bhagwaan Hanuman and built a small temple.

WHY IS BHARAT NOT PROGRESSIVE?

In a powerful speech from 1985, Modi asked why India, rich in resources, was still struggling with poverty and underdevelopment after 38 years of Independence. Highlighting the challenges of tribal and marginalized communities, he called for introspection and action.

“We have rich resources. We are also not lagging behind in natural resources. Despite all our efforts, the question repeatedly arises in our minds: Why is our country not progressing? Why can’t we stand proudly in front of the world? For once, we attribute this situation to the lack of freedom, believing that our suffering is due to colonial rule. But now, even with freedom, our challenges are still there 38 years later.

LESSONS FROM SHABRI AND SHRI RAM

Inclusivity and equality have become eternal virtues and what better way to emphasize them than through the example of our culture, Modi said.

In an audio recording from 2000, Modi discussed social inclusiveness, using the story of Lord Ram, specifically mentioning the Vanar Sena and Mata Shabari. Even today, Narendra Modi’s message of social inclusiveness using cultural heritage remains consistent.

“Society is in the midst of the distinction of high and low and is governed by the values ​​of the untouchable and the touchable. Therefore, there is a special need not to teach the Ram-Bhakti of Shabri, but the Shabri-Bhakti of Shri Ram.”