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-Dasrath Patel
Vadnagar’s Tana-Riri temple is now one of the major tourist attractions in the vicinity. PM Shri Narendra Modi’s efforts to renovate and develop an otherwise abdicated temple also realized his childhood dream for Tana-Riri. Let’s know how?
Shri Dashrath Patel is a childhood friend of Shri Narendra Modi. Both were together from school to college, throughout their student life. He recalls, both of them visited the Tana-Riri temple while they were studying in M.N. College, Visnagar, Gujarat.
At that time, the temple was in a dilapidated situation. The plaster had scrapped out, bricks were also exposed from the wall. No one seemed to be taking care of the temple.
Looking at the sad state of the temple, Shri Narendra Modi told his friend that he will repair the temple when he will be back there. At that time Shri Dashrath Patel was a little doubtful about this because it was quite difficult to visit the temple again in student life. He expressed his opinion to Shri Narendra Modi stating, we may not get time to visit here again. Narendra Modi then replied to him, “The renovation of the temple will happen at the right time.”
Shri Patel further says that after many years when Shri Narendra Modi became the Chief Minister of Gujarat, he visited the Tana-Riri temple. Shri Modi left no stone unturned to renovate the temple and develop it as a prominent tourist attraction where devotees can visit easily.
He also made the annual Tana-Riri Music Festival a national event by inviting some of the prominent singers of the country. This made people know about the temple and its historical importance.
Shri Patel says that Shri Narendra Modi fulfilled his childhood resolve of renovating the Tana-Riri temple. He not only fulfilled his resolve but also gave the due importance to the place through its music festival. Now, the temple is a world renowned one where people from different parts of the globe visit and offer prayers.