'India a vishwaguru of entire world': RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat calls for cultural reawakening
RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat recalled India’s stature as the Vishwaguru, a global centre of knowledge and culture, before a long period of invasions disrupted its social and religious fabric.
RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat in an address in Lucknow on Sunday, invoked India’s ancient civilizational legacy and its renewed cultural confidence. Speaking ahead of the upcoming flag-hoisting ceremony at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya, Bhagwat reflected on the nation’s spiritual heritage, its historical struggles, and its resurgence in the present era.
He recalled India’s stature as the Vishwaguru, a global centre of knowledge and culture, before a long period of invasions disrupted its social and religious fabric. He emphasised that despite centuries of upheaval, India’s identity endured and is now being reclaimed with pride.
“Our country was the Vishwaguru of the entire world... India was a great support for the world... For a 1000 years, it was trampled under the feet of invaders. We had to live under slavery. Religious places were destroyed. Forced conversions started taking place. All this was there. It was Bharatvarsh even then. Those days of glory are no more. 'Wo Akraman ke din chale gaye. Ab Ram Mandir par jhanda fehrane wale hain' (Those days of invasion are gone. Now we are going to hoist the flag on the Ram temple). It was India even then; it is India even now…,” he said.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also attended the event.
Ayodhya gears up for historic ceremony
With the main construction of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple nearing completion, Ayodhya is preparing for a milestone moment. A cleanliness drive has been launched across the city ahead of the November 25 flag-hoisting ceremony at the sanctum sanctorum. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hoist the saffron flag atop the Ram Temple. The surge in visitors is projected to boost various sectors, including hospitality, travel, handicrafts, local vendors, and ODOP-linked industries such as jaggery. Economic activity worth several crores is anticipated.
The ceremony is set to further elevate Ayodhya’s cultural and tourism profile, with millions expected to converge on the holy city. Hotels, restaurants, travel agencies, security services, and event organisers are gearing up for unprecedented footfall.
Indologist Lalit Mishra has helped restore Ayodhya’s ancient flag to its rightful historical context. Mishra unearthed the design while studying a Mewar pictorial Ramayana painting and later confirmed its references in the Ayodhya Kand of the Valmiki Ramayana.
The flag that will be raised on November 25 features three sacred symbols, Om, the Sun, and the Kovidara tree.
- Om signifies the eternal sound of the cosmos and the root of spiritual consciousness.
- The Sun represents Lord Ram’s lineage from the Suryavansh.
- The Kovidara tree, believed to be a hybrid of the Mandar and Parijat trees created by Rishi Kashyap, reflects ancient Indian knowledge of plant hybridisation.