NEW DELHI: The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi reviewed the work in progress at the site of the National Maritime Heritage Complex at Lothal, Gujarat with the help of a drone via video conferencing.
Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister expressed happiness about the rapid pace of the project. Recalling his address from the ramparts of the Red Fort where he spoke about the ‘Panch Pran’, the Prime Minister underlined ‘pride for our heritage’ and stated that our maritime heritage is one such heritage handed down by our ancestors. He pointed out, “There are many such tales of our history, which have been forgotten and ways have not been found to preserve them to pass them on to the next generation. How much can we learn from those events of history? India's maritime heritage is also a topic that has been talked about inadequately”, he said. The Prime Minister highlighted the vast spread of India's trade and business in old times and its relations with every civilization of the world. However, the Prime Minister lamented that thousand years of slavery not only broke that tradition but we also grew indifferent towards our heritage and capabilities.
Highlighting the rich and diverse maritime heritage of India that has been around for thousands of years, the Prime Minister talked about the Chola Empire, Chera Dynasty, and Pandya Dynasty from South India who understood the power of marine resources and took it to unprecedented heights. The Prime Minister further added that it led to the strengthening of the naval powers of the country while also expanding trade from India to all parts of the globe. The Prime Minister also spoke of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj who formed a strong navy and challenged foreign invaders. “All this is such a proud chapter in the history of India, which was ignored”, Shri Modi added. The Prime Minister recalled the time when Kutch used to flourish as a manufacturing hub for building big ships and stressed the commitment of the Government to revamp sites of historical significance. “Large ships made in India were sold all over the world. This indifference towards heritage did a lot of damage to the country. This situation needs to be changed.”
The Prime Minister mentioned that archaeological excavations have unearthed several sites of historical relevance. “We decided to return these centres of India's pride, Dholavira and Lothal, to the form they were once famous for. Today we are seeing rapid work on that mission”,
he said. Lothal, he continued, was a thriving centre of India's maritime capability. Recently, during the excavation near Vadnagar, the temple of Sinkotar Mata has been unearthed. Some such evidence has also been found from which information about maritime trade from here in ancient times is available. Similarly, evidence of having a lighthouse in Jhinjhuwada village of Surendranagar has been found, he added.
The Prime Minister remarked that a lot can be learnt today from the urban planning of the remains of the cities, ports and markets recovered in the excavation from Lothal. “Lothal was not only a major trading centre of the Indus Valley Civilization, but it was also a symbol of India's maritime power and prosperity”, he said. He noted the grace of both Goddess Laxmi and Goddess Saraswati on the area and said that there was a time when Lothal port was marked by the flags of 84 countries and Valabhi was home to students from 80 countries.
The Prime Minister assured that the National Maritime Museum being built in Lothal will be a matter of pride for every Indian when it comes to the maritime heritage of the country.
“I am sure the Lothal will come before the world with its old splendour”, the Prime Minister concluded.
Chief Minister of Gujarat,
Shri Bhupendra Patel was present on the occasion with Union Ministers Shri Mansukh Mandaviya and Shri Sarbananda Sonowal joining the event via video conferencing.
