Gujarat Temple Project Stresses Faith, Service and Values
Surat, October 25
A ₹125 crore ISKCON temple is set to rise in Kosamada, Surat district, after a foundation ceremony led by Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Sunday. The Chief Minister used the occasion to call for religious bodies to link spiritual wisdom with public service and nation building.
At the ceremony, Patel performed the foundation puja and took part in the Narasimha Yagna by offering oblations into the sacred fire. Donors who supported the proposed temple were also honoured at a felicitation event.
The programme was attended by Agriculture Minister Jitu Vaghani, Health Minister Praful Pansheriya and Rajya Sabha MP Govind Dholakia. Patel said the project follows Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'heritage as well as development' approach, which recognises that growth must be accompanied by safeguarding India's cultural and spiritual traditions.
Referring to national efforts to protect and restore religious heritage, the Chief Minister mentioned the Ram Temple. He said it was a privilege to take part in spiritual work and expressed hope that such endeavours would promote harmony in society.
Discussing the Shrimad Bhagavad Gita, Patel said its eighteen chapters contain practical guidance for facing the everyday problems and pressures of life. He described how the scripture leads readers from Arjuna Vishada Yoga in the first chapter to Moksha Sannyasa Yoga in the last, moving them from confusion to clarity, from despondency to self-belief and from inertia to a sense of duty.
He explained that Sankhya Yoga focuses on self-knowledge, a steady intellect and duty, while Karma Yoga shows that selfless action can be a form of spiritual practice. Jnana Karma Sannyasa Yoga, he added, illustrates how knowledge can purify work. Patel argued that applying these values in daily life would strengthen families, boost social cohesion and build an ethical foundation for national development.
Patel described the temple project as a meeting point of spirituality and social responsibility. He urged people to see devotion as more than prayer and ritual, and to connect it with serving humanity.
He also urged young people to stay away from drugs and to direct their energy towards building the nation.
The Chief Minister said he hopes the temple will become a centre for spiritual learning, youth empowerment, cultural awareness and humanitarian service.
Murtiman Das, President of ISKCON Varachha, delivered a speech earlier in the programme and presented the development plans for the proposed temple.
The Chief Minister also felicitated prominent members of the community and donors who contributed to the project. Students who passed the Shrimad Bhagavad Gita examination held across Asia were honoured as well.