Varanasi

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday (Dec 18) inaugurated the newly-built Swarved Mahamandir, which is the world's largest meditation centre, in Umaraha, Varanasi.

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While addressing the audience, PM Modi said that India has declared freedom from the slave mentality and is feeling proud of its heritage.

"In the era of slavery, the oppressors who made an effort to weaken India first targeted our symbols. After Independence, re-building of these cultural symbols was essential," he said.

Modi said that after the country gained Independence, "there was an opposition to the rebuilding of the Somnath temple and this thought process remained dominant for decades."

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He said because of this, the country descended into an inferiority complex and somehow ignored the rich heritage it possessed.

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"After seven decades of Independence, the wheel of time has turned once again. The country has declared from the Red Fort freedom from the slave mentality and a feeling of pride about its heritage."

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"The work which started from Somnath has now become a campaign. Today, the grandeur of Vishwanath is singing the tales of India's glory," Modi said.

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He then said that India, for the longest time, has been an example of economic prosperity and physical development and that the government, society and saints were making all the required efforts to rejuvenate Kashi.

Chief Minister of the state of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath was also present during the inauguration.

CM Yogi along with PM Modi took a tour of the centre that can seat around 20,000 people at a time for meditation. 

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Verses of the Swarveda have been carved upon the walls of the Mahamandir, a seven-floor grand structure.

The Indian prime minister is on a two-day visit to his Lok Sabha constituency Varanasi.

On the first day, he launched projects including the Kanyakumari-Varanasi Tamil Sangamam train and multi-language and braille translations of Thirukkural, Manimekalai and other classic Tamil literature. 

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He also participated in the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra.

He is set to launch several other projects in the city besides the new Vande Bharat train from Varanasi to New Delhi. 

AI-based tool used to translate PM Modi's speech in Varanasi

In a first, a real-time AI-based tool was used to translate PM Modi's speech at Kashi Tamil Sangamam in Varanasi on Sunday (Dec 18).

During the address, PM Modi welcomed the participants and called them his family.

"Today, the use of new technology has taken place here through Artificial Intelligence (AI). This is a new beginning and hopefully, it makes it easier for me to reach you," PM Modi said at Kashi Tamil Sangamam.

The speech by the Indian prime minister was translated through 'Bhashini' for the ones who in the audience understood the Tamil language.

'Bhashini' is an AI-led language translation system that enables people to speak in their language while talking to speakers of other Indian languages. 

(With inputs from agencies)