Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday hailed the record-breaking preparations to lit thousands of diyas in Ayodhya on the occasion of Diwali. Notably, this is first Diwali for Ayodhya after the construction of the Ram Temple. Speaking to people after launching development projects worth nearly Rs 12,850 crore and extending his government’s flagship health insurance scheme Ayushman Bharat to all senior citizens aged 70 years and above, PM Modi said that this Diwali is historic.

The Prime Minister said that this Diwali will be historic as Ram returns not after 14 years byt after a wait of 500- year. PM Modi said that thousands of lamps will be lit in the temple built on the birthplace of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya on the occasion. “This Diwali is historic, after 500 years such an occasion has come when thousands of lamps will be lit in the temple built on the birthplace of Ramlalla in Ayodhya. It will be a wonderful celebration. This will be such a Deepawali when our Ram has once again come to his home. This time this wait has been fulfilled after 500 years,” said PM Modi.

An idol of Ram Lalla was consecrated at the Ayodhya temple in January this year, a landmark event led by Prime Minister Modi who had also given a clarion call to go beyond the grand temple’s construction to build the foundation of a “strong, capable and divine” India of the next 1,000 years.

PM Modi also hailed the rise of Ayurveda. “Dhanteras the day of celebration of good luck and health is not just a celebration. It is a symbol of the life philosophy of Indian culture. Our ‘Rishis’ have said that health is the ultimate fortune and the ultimate wealth…This ancient thought is spreading all over the world today in the form of Ayurveda Day. It is a matter of happiness for all of us today that Ayurveda Day is being celebrated in more than 150 countries,” he said.