PM Modi seeks blessings of chief deity Bhagwan Raghunath at Kullu Dussehra Festival
Oct 05, 2022
Kullu (Himachal Pradesh) [India], October 5 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi made an impromptu decision to go upto the Rath of Bhagwan Raghunath, the region's chief deity, and sought his blessings as he participated in the International Kullu Dussehra Festival today.
Bhagwan Shri Raghunath is widely revered. 
The people beamed with joy and great fervour all around as PM Modi reached the Rath. PM also participated in the Dussehra Rath Yatra during the celebration.
PM Modi received a warm welcome as he arrived for the International Kullu Dussehra Festival. He extended greetings to citizens on the occasion and expressed his happiness as this is for the first time he would be a part of the Dussehra festival in Kullu.
The festival is unique in the sense that it is the congregation of more than 300 deities of the valley. On the first day of the Festival, obeisance is paid to the Deities in their well-decorated palanquins at the temple of the Chief Deity Bhagwan Raghunath Ji and then it proceeds to the Dhalpur Ground.
"I am elated to provide the citizens of Himachal Pradesh with the gifts of projects of education, health, and infrastructure worth thousands of crores," PM Modi said adding that he will seek the blessings of the country by joining the Raghunath Ji Yatra.
"I am very fortunate to participate in the Kullu festival after so many years," he added.
PM Modi's remarks came after he inaugurated AIIMS Bilaspur and laid the foundation stone of multiple development projects here.
On Independence Day, referring to the Amrit Kaal - the next 25 years till 2047 when India will be marking 100 years of Independence - the Prime Minister urged people to focus on 'Panch Pran' (five vows).
He said the country has met various challenges in the past 75 years and there were certain unfulfilled dreams, "the next 25 years are very significant for our country".
The first vow is for the people to move ahead with a big resolve for a "developed India". "We should not settle for anything less than that," he had said.
The second resolve is that "in no part of our existence, not even in the deepest corners of our minds or habits should there be any ounce of slavery".
The third resolve asked the countrypersons to feel proud of the heritage and legacy of India.
He said the fourth resolve, which is equally important is unity and solidarity.
"Amongst 130 million countrymen when there is harmony and bonhomie, unity becomes its strongest virtue. 'Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat' - is one of the unifying initiatives to actuate the dream of the fourth Pran," PM Modi had said on August 15.
PM Modi said the fifth vow is the "duty of the citizens, in which even the Prime Minister, Chief Minister cannot be an exclusion as they are also responsible citizens and have a duty towards the nation".
