Summary:
Varanasi, Dec 13 (PTI) A sculpture of Bharat Mata against the symbolic backdrop of India and statues of Maharani Ahilyabai Holkar and saint Adi Shankaracharya have been installed in the sprawling campus of the Kashi Vishwanath Dham.
Modi on Monday inaugurated the first phase of the mega corridor project built around the core of the temple that was constructed by Maharani Ahilyabai around 1780.
"Kashi is not only the cultural and spiritual capital of India, it is also a living avatar of India"s soul.
It is situated in Uttar Pradesh region, connecting north and east, where Vishwanath temple was damaged, and then the temple was reconstructed by Mata Ahilyabai Holkar, whose "janmabhoomi" was Maharashtra, but "karmabhoomi" was Indore, Maheswar and other areas.
"Today, I bow to Mata Ahilyabai Holkar, 200-250 years ago, she did so much," he said in his address at the event held just outside the temple courtyard.
"Since then, so much work for Kashi, has happened now," Modi claimed.