Goa is a land of devotion, not pleasure: CM Pramod Sawant

Pramod Sawant

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, while speaking at at the opening ceremony of ‘Sanatan Rashtra Shankhnad Mahotsav’, said that Goa is the land of devotion and yoga and not the land of pleasure.

"Goa is 'yog bhoomi (land of devotion/yoga)', not 'bhog bhoomi (land of pleasure)'," Sawant said. The Chief Minister added that the state has been known for sand, sun and sea for the longest time and is now becoming known for its temples and culture.

"When people visited Goa, they used to think it was ‘bhog bhoomi’. This [Goa] is ‘yog bhoomi’, this is ‘Gau mata’s bhoomi (mother cow’s land)’, this is ‘Parshuram’s bhoomi (referring to the belief that Lord Parshuram shot an arrow into the Arabian Sea and parted it, creating Goa)," Sawant was seen saying at the event.

He added, "Earlier, people used to come to Goa for sun, sand and sea. But now they come here to see Goa’s ancient and grand temples, the state’s culture and villages. We have temples from the Kadamba dynasty and the Maratha era. We have renovated them. This along with Kaavi art are major attractions. The Sanatan Sanstha has an ashram here… In Sanguem, a Sanskrit teaching school has come up and people from across the country are now coming to study Sanskrit scriptures and economics there."

During the event, Sawant also said that irrespective of religion, everyone who stays in India is a "Hindustani". "We all say this country is one Hindustan. People living here, irrespective of their caste or religion, still call themselves Hindustani. We say whether it’s a Hindu or a Muslim or Sikh or Christian or Buddhist, everyone living in this country is a ‘Hindustani’. That is why it is a ‘Hindu rashtra (Hindu nation)’. When we say Hindustani, it is not to taunt anyone’s religion. Everyone has [the duty] to follow their religion and live their life according to the principles of their religion. The Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) has stressed ‘Sabka saath, sabka vikas’," Sawant said.