A Bharat Mata Mandir is constructed in Sector 7-A of Gujarat’s capital, Gandhinagar. The temple, which houses an idol of Bharat Mata sitting atop a lion, with the map of India in the background and holding a saffron flag, was inaugurated on Friday amidst chants of Bharat Mata Ki Jai.
A huge crowd had gathered to attend the concluding ceremony of the temple dedicated to Bharat Mata. The chief guest of the event was Deputy CM Nitin Patel, who announced that this was perhaps the only temple in the country where all Hindus can worship.
“Bharat Mata belongs to us all. She is not the resident goddess of any particular community or caste. This is possibly the first temple of its kind that I have seen,” Times of India quoted Patel as saying.
Speaking at the Shri Bharat Mata Mandir Murti Pratishtha Mahotsav, Patel announced that henceforth, bridges, highways, roads and other development projects will have posters and plaques of Bharat Mata. He said the first such poster has already been put up at newly constructed flyovers in Gandhinagar.
Patel made a hard-hitting speech at the ceremony organised by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), touching upon several aspects, including the current situation in Afghanistan, the growing cases of Love Jihad and the law passed by the state assembly to curb the menace.
The ceremony was also attended by the Minister of state for home, Pradipsinh Jadeja, who said, “A centre for strength, worship and energy has been unveiled today. A sense of patriotism flows through our veins when we invoke Bharat Mata and pray to her,” he said. He heaped praises on the VHP for taking the initiative of building the state’s first Bharat Mata Mandir. The temple was built by the VHP, with the help of donations from many people.
The temple will serve as an impetus to spark the feelings of nationalism across the country, opined VHP international joint general secretary Satyendra Jain, adding that Hindus will be able to worship their gods and goddesses only if Bharat Mata is safeguarded.