‘Centuries-old wounds healing’, PM Modi says in Ayodhya; outlines roadmap for developed India by 2047

PM Narendra Modi with UP Governor Anandiben Patel, CM Yogi Adityanath and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat during the ‘Dhwajarohan’ ceremony at the Ram Temple, in Ayodhya. Pic/PTI

Congratulating all Ram devotees and those involved in the temple’s construction, Modi said Ayodhya had always been the land where ideals become conduct. He stressed that India must think beyond the present and plan for future generations

Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi on Tuesday November 25, 2025 said that “the wounds and pain of centuries are healing” as India marked the formal completion of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, and used the occasion to present a broader national roadmap aimed at achieving a developed India by 2047, news agency PTI reported.

Along with the Prime Minister, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was also present at the ceremony

Addressing a gathering after hoisting a saffron flag atop the Ram temple to mark the ceremonial completion of its construction, PM Modi said the moment symbolised a cultural resurgence for the nation.

Earlier today, PM Modi performed a pooja at Ram Lalla Garbha Grah. He was accompanied by RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Governor Anandiben Patel, and offered prayers at Mata Annapurna Mandir

“Today, the entire nation and the world are immersed in Ram. Centuries-old wounds are healing, centuries-long pain is finding closure, as the resolve that burned for 500 years finally reached its fulfilment,” Modi said.

Flag hoisting on 191-foot-high shikhar in Ayodhya, symbolising the completion of the temple’s construction

Calling the flag-hoisting “a unique and divine moment”, PM Modi noted that the sacred flag atop the Ram temple would stand as a testimony to the fact that “truth ultimately triumphs over falsehood”.

Congratulating all Ram devotees and those involved in the temple’s construction, Modi said Ayodhya had always been the land where ideals become conduct.

Recalling the journey of Lord Ram, he said, “Ram left as a prince but returned as ‘Maryada Purushottam’. The wisdom of sages, the guidance of mentors, the friendship of Nishad Raj, the devotion of Shabari, and the commitment of countless others shaped him. A developed India will need this same collective strength too.”

According to PTI, Modi stressed that India must think beyond the present and plan for future generations.

“Those who think only of today are unfair to the coming generations. The country existed when we were not here, and it will still remain when we won’t be here,” he said.

PM Modi added that the journey towards a developed India by 2047 required awakening the Ram “within us”.

“Ram is not a person but a value, a discipline and a direction,” he noted.

Reiterating his call to free the country from the “mentality of slavery”, Modi said India must take pride in its civilisational identity.

PM Modi also offered prayers at the Saptmandir at the Ram Janmabhoomi Temple premises, ahead of the flag-hoisting ceremony at the temple

“Macaulay sowed the seeds of uprooting India from its roots 190 years ago. We gained Independence but not freedom from inferiority,” he said, urging that the next 10 years be dedicated to reversing this mindset.

He added that colonial-era distortions had led to the belief that India borrowed democracy from abroad, PTI reported.

“India is the mother of democracy. It is in our DNA,” he said, citing a thousand-year-old inscription in Tamil Nadu that documents democratic practices.

Modi said this mindset had influenced even national symbols, pointing to the recent redesign of the Navy’s flag. “It was not just a design change; it was a change in thinking,” he said.

Speaking on Ayodhya’s transformation, Modi said the city was once again emerging as a model blend of antiquity and modernity.

“The Ayodhya of the Treta Yuga gave humanity its moral code. The Ayodhya of the 21st century is giving the world a new model of development,” he said, highlighting the new airport, upgraded railway station and enhanced connectivity.

He said nearly 45 crore devotees had visited the temple since its consecration, bringing “significant economic transformation” to the region.

Pointing to India’s economic rise, Modi said: “After 70 years of Independence, India became the world’s 11th largest economy. But in the last 11 years, we have become the fifth largest. The day is not far when we will become the third largest.”

Invoking the metaphor of Ram’s chariot in the battle against Ravan, he said India’s development journey too required patience, truth, good conduct, strength and compassion.

“We need a similar chariot to accelerate the journey of a developed India,” he said.

PM Modi concluded that the vision of Ram Rajya must guide India’s future, adding, “This is possible only when national interest comes before self interest, and remains supreme.”

(With PTI inputs)