Raipur: Prime Minister Narendra Modi created an indelible memory at Chhattisgarh’s Silver Jubilee ceremony last Saturday, bending protocol to don a vibrant “Mor Mukut” — peacock feather crown, bestowed by the “Ramnami Samaj”, a sect whose skin bears the tattooed mantra “Ram Ram” as a lifelong pledge to Lord Ram. Tears streamed down devotees’ faces as PM Modi overrode security concerns, directing personnel to usher the ‘Mor Mukut’ onstage.
The gesture, amid inaugurations of Rs 14,260 crore in infrastructure—spanning roads, energy grids, and medical facilities—eclipsed official pomp, highlighting raw cultural synergy. Elder Pala Ram, draping Narendra Modi in a shawl, lauded the PM’s stewardship in constructing the Ayodhya Ram Temple.
“Our 200-year legacy thrives on Ram’s name alone—no ceremonies, just endless invocation,” he declared. The crown, forged amid austere fasts to harness pure energy, symbolised gratitude. “Kings carry God’s essence; we’re elated he wore our tribal honour,” Pala Ram added, marking PM Modi’s first such Ramnami mukut and odhni.
The group petitioned for bolstered cow conservation, sattvic diets, and amplified village welfare, while lamenting their shrinking numbers and urging heritage safeguards.
Earlier, in Sakti district, they’d foreseen this crowning, blessing PM Modi as a “returning monarch.”
Palaram further said, “PM Modi earlier visited us and our mother told him that you come with ‘Raj Mukut’, next time whenever you come, put on this ‘Mor Mukut.’ Initial security blocks sparked pleas, but PM Modi’s swift intervention flipped dismay to delight, cementing the Ramnami as devotion’s flesh-and-blood avatars.”
Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai posted a stirring X video. “An unforgettable tableau of affection,” he captioned, praising PM Modi’s empathy in clearing the path for the crown. Flanked by the new Assembly unveiling and Brahma Kumaris’ Shanti Shikhar launch, PM Modi’s visit carried piety with policy. In divisive times, it forged more unity in Chhattisgarh.
(IANS)
