Prime Minister Narendra Modi returned to India on Sunday after his three-day state visit to Sri Lanka. During his return journey, he experienced what he called a divine coincidence. He had a darshan of both Ram Setu and Ayodhya’s Surya Tilak at the same time.
He shared on X, “On the way back from Sri Lanka a short while ago, was blessed to have a Darshan of the Ram Setu. And, as a divine coincidence, it happened at the same time as the Surya Tilak was taking place in Ayodhya. Blessed to have the Darshan of both.”
He added, “Prabhu Shri Ram is a uniting force for all of us. May His blessings always remain upon us.”
Arrival in Rameswaram
Earlier in the day, PM Modi arrived in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu, after concluding his visit. Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake saw him off at the Colombo airport.
Inauguration of New Pamban Bridge
After landing in India, PM Modi inaugurated the New Pamban Bridge in Rameswaram. It is the country’s first vertical lift sea bridge. The structure stretches 2.07 kilometres across the Palk Strait. It connects the Indian mainland with Rameswaram island.
According to the Ministry of Railways, this bridge stands as a symbol of India’s engineering strength and visionary planning.
Surya Tilak in Ayodhya
Meanwhile, in Ayodhya’s Ram Janmabhoomi temple, devotees celebrated Ram Navami with a rare celestial event. At exactly noon, a beam of sunlight lit up the forehead of Ram Lalla’s idol. This formed the Surya Tilak, a symbolic mark made by the sun’s rays.
Visuals from the temple showed priests offering prayers during the moment.
Cultural Significance of Ram Setu
Ram Setu, also called Adam’s Bridge, is a 48-kilometre chain of limestone shoals. It connects Rameswaram island in India to Mannar island in Sri Lanka.
According to Hindu cultural, Lord Ram built this bridge to reach Lanka and rescue his wife Sita, as described in the Ramayana. It remains a sacred site for many and holds cultural and spiritual importance.