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Former Prime Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) supremo H D Deve Gowda congratulated PM Narendra Modi for his "dedication" to transform the holy site of Kedarnath as he unveiled a statue of Adi Shankaracharya's on Saturday.
In an open letter he said, "I am deeply moved to see the very impressive black schist statue of the great saint Sri Adi Shankaracharya being unveiled by you in Kedarnath on November 5," Gowda said in a letter to PM Modi.
"I congratulate you for the dedication you have shown to the transformation of the holy site," he added.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday unveiled the 12 feet tall statue on a rebuilt samadhi of Adi Shankaracharya at Kedarnath. The 3D sculpture statue, built by artist Arun Yogiraj, took nine months of continuous work.
The Samadhi of Adi Shankaracharya has been reconstructed after its destruction in the 2013 Uttarakhand floods.
Recalling the 'inclusiveness' of the Sringeri Math, the former Prime Minister said Sringeri has been a spiritual counselor across the centuries to many rulers and kingdoms. "The glorious tradition of the Math's guidance has continued to the present day. The Sringeri Math, personally for me, has been a refined symbol of inter-faith harmony," Gowda noted in the letter.
Adi Shankaracharya was born in Kerala. He was an eighth-century Indian mystic and philosopher who consolidated the doctrine of Advaita Vedanta and made a significant contribution in unifying Hinduism by setting up four "mathas" across India.
Uttarakhand holds much significance with respect to Adi Shankaracharya's life as he established one of the four mathas- Jyotir Math here in Chamoli district and also established the idol at Badrinath. He also took samadhi at Kedarnath.
(With inputs from agencies)
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