Nashik, January 12: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday cleaned the premises of the Kalaram Temple in Maharashtra's Nashik as part of Swachchata Abhiyan campaign. Visuals showed the Prime Minister with a mop and bucket mopping the floor of the temple. Earlier, he performed darshan and puja at the Shree KalaRam Mandir. He also performed darshan and puja at Shree Ram Kund on the bank of River Godavari.

The PM appealed to the people to carry out Swachhata activities (cleanliness drives) at temples across the country ahead of the consecration ceremony of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. The Prime Minister heard the epic narrative of the Ramayana, specifically the 'Yudh Kanda' segment, which depicts Lord Ram's return to Ayodhya. This was presented in Marathi and the PM listened to the Hindi version through AI translation.

PM Modi Cleans Premises of Temple in Nashik:

Visuals showed the Prime Minister seated on the ground in the temple playing a musical instrument while several priests sung the Ram Bhajan. In a post on social media platform X, PM Modi described the experience, "At the Shree Kalaram Temple, I had the profound experience of hearing verses from the Bhavarth Ramayana written in Marathi by Sant Eknath Ji, eloquently narrating Prabhu Shri Ram's triumphant return to Ayodhya. PM Narendra Modi Inaugurates Mumbai Trans Harbour Link, India's Longest Sea Bridge (Watch Video).

This recitation, resonating with devotion and history, was a very special experience. The X account of the Prime Minister included several pictures of him at the temple. "Prayed at the Shree Kalaram Temple in Nashik. Feeling incredibly blessed by the divine atmosphere. A truly humbling and spiritual experience. I prayed for the peace and well-being of my fellow Indians," PM Modi said.

He also paid floral tributes to the statue of Swami Vivekanand. Later, during his inaugural address at the 27th National Youth Festival in Nashik, the Prime Minister reiterated his call for cleanliness campaigns, urging citizens to clean pilgrimage places and temples across the country on 'Pran Pratishtha' day of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya on January 22.

"I had called upon all of us to clean the pilgrimage places and temples of the country by January 22 and run a cleanliness campaign. Today I have the privilege of visiting Kalaram Temple and clean the temple premises," PM Modi said. "I will reiterate my request to the countrymen to run cleanliness campaigns in all the temples and pilgrimage areas of the country and donate their labour on the auspicious occasion of consecration of life in the Ram temple," the Prime Minister said.

The Prime Minister also extended warm wishes for 'National Youth Day' and emphasized the significance of India's youth power. PM Modi praised the youth of India for their potential to make history and encouraged them to engage in activities that would be remembered by future generations. "I am confident that your strength and your spirit of service will take the country and society to new heights. Your efforts, your hard work will hoist the flag of the power of young India all over the world.

I request you to start using products that are locally manufactured, start promoting them and stand for made in India products. Together we can build our country to be the manufacturing hub of the world," PM Modi said. The Prime Minister expressed happiness about the enthusiastic response to 'Mera Yuva Bharat Sangathan,' noting that within 75 days of its establishment, around 1.10 crore youth have registered with the organization.

"I am also very excited by the speed with which youth in every corner of the country are joining 'Mera Yuva Bharat Sangathan'. This is the first Youth Day after the establishment of My Youth India Organization. Even 75 days have not been completed in this organization and around 1.10 crore youth have registered their names in it," he said. Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister held a mega roadshow ahead of the inauguration of the National Youth Festival this morning.

PM Modi - accompanied by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar - visited the Shree Kalaram Mandir after the roadshow. The Prime Minister also paid floral tribute to Swami Vivekananda. Later in the day, he will inaugurate the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Sewri-Nhava Sheva Atal Setu, built at a cost of about Rs 17,840 crore. Atal Setu is the longest bridge and also the longest sea bridge in the country.

During the visit, the Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone for an underground road tunnel connecting the Eastern Freeway's Orange Gate and launch Namo Mahila Shashaktikaran Abhiyaan in the state. The Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone for the underground road tunnel connecting Eastern Freeway's Orange Gate to Marine Drive, according to a government release. PM Narendra Modi Offers Prayers at Ramkund in Maharashtra's Nashik (Watch Video).

During the programme, Prime Minister will dedicate about Rs 2000 crore railway projects to the nation. These include the dedication of 'Phase 2 of Uran-Kharkopar railway line' which will enhance connectivity to Navi Mumbai as suburban services running between Nerul/Belapur to Kharkopar will now be extended to Uran. The Prime Minister will also flag off the inaugural run of the EMU train from Uran railway station to Kharkopar.

During the programme, Prime Minister will dedicate about Rs 2000 crore railway projects to the nation. The Prime Minister will also launch Namo Mahila Shashaktikaran Abhiyaan. The Abhiyaan aims to empower women in the state of Maharashtra by providing skill development training and exposure to entrepreneurship development.