Mandya, 15 April 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday appealed to people to take nine collective pledges, ranging from water conservation, natural farming, to fitness and service, to realise a "developed Karnataka and a developed India".

Listing his priorities, Modi said his first request is about water conservation and better water management, followed by appeals for tree plantation under the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ (One tree in the name of mother) campaign, cleanliness in public and religious places, strengthening local products through “Vocal for Local,” promoting domestic tourism, adopting chemical-free natural farming, encouraging healthy eating with millets and reduced oil consumption.

Modi also urged people to embrace yoga and fitness, and to nurture service.

“If we move forward with honesty and determination on these nine resolutions, we can rapidly progress towards a developed Karnataka and a developed India,” he said while addressing an event organised to inaugurate Sri Guru Bhairavaikya Mandira at the Adichunchanagiri Mahasamsthana Math in Mandya.

The Mandira is a memorial dedicated to the revered seer, Sri Balagangadharanatha Mahaswami, the 71st Pontiff of the Math, revered by the dominant Vokkaliga community.

Modi also released a book titled 'Saundarya Lahari and Shiva Mahimna Stotram' along with former Prime Minister and JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda.

Ahead of the inauguration of 'Mandira', the Prime Minister visited Jwala Peeta -- where, according to a legend, Lord Shiva resided for penance -- and also Sri Kalabhairaveshwara Swamy temple and offered prayer there.

"I often say that Karnataka is rich in both Tattva-Jnana (philosophical wisdom) and Tantra-Jnana (technological knowledge), meaning both the depth of philosophy and the strength of technology are present here," Modi said.

The prime minister praised the role of the monastery in guiding society through spirituality and moral values, noting its nearly two-thousand-year-old legacy.

Referring to the lineage of seers, he said, Balagangadharanatha Mahaswami had elevated the institution's legacy, while Nirmalanandanatha Mahaswami is carrying it forward with renewed energy.

Modi said such spiritual leaders went beyond religious guidance to address social challenges.

"They understood people's joys and sorrows, felt their struggles, and showed society the path out of suffering and hardship," he said, adding that devotion, for them, meant taking responsibility for society rather than withdrawing from it.

He highlighted the late seer's contributions to education and healthcare, noting that hundreds of institutions established under his guidance have benefited rural and underprivileged communities.

"Swami ji believed that quality healthcare should not be a privilege of a few, but must reach every citizen," Modi said.

Drawing a parallel with government initiatives, the prime minister said schemes like Ayushman Bharat have enabled free treatment for crores of poor citizens and have been extended to senior citizens above 70 years to ensure dignified healthcare access.

Recalling the seer's compassion towards all living beings, Modi cited efforts to protect peacocks as an example of environmental and cultural consciousness.

"This is not just about environmental conservation, it is also connected to our cultural consciousness," he said, noting that the peacock is India's national bird and associated with Lord Subrahmanya.

"Constructing the Shri Guru Bhairavaikya Mandir in honour of his guru is not merely building a structure, it is giving form to a sacred emotion," Modi said.

He added that the site would emerge as a centre of service, spiritual practice, and inspiration.

Referring to Mandya as "Shakkare Nagara," Modi praised the region's agricultural richness and the warmth of its people.

He also underlined the importance of millets, particularly ragi, and acknowledged the role of former prime minister H D Deve Gowda in popularising traditional foods.

"Obesity is becoming a major challenge in our country, and to tackle this, we should also try to reduce oil consumption in our food by ten per cent," he said.

Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot, current pontiff of Adichunchanagiri Mahasamsthana Math Nirmalanandanatha Mahaswami, Union Ministers H D Kumaraswamy and Shobha Karandlaje were among those present.