Ariyalur

Highlighting India's security efforts, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that Operation Sindoor has compelled the world to acknowledge the country's strength and resolve.

The Prime Minister stated that the military operation launched on May 7, following a terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives, has ignited a new spirit across the country and instilled new self-confidence among people as well.

"Today's India considers its security paramount. During Operation Sindoor, the world saw that if anyone attacks India's security and sovereignty, India knows how to respond in their own language. Operation Sindoor has made it clear that there is no safe haven in the world for India's enemies and terrorists," the Prime Minister said, adressing the public at Tamil Nadu's Ariyalur.

"Operation Sindoor has ignited a new spirit across the country, instilled new self-confidence, and has forced the world to acknowledge India's strength and resolve," he added.

He then praised the richness of the Indian Civilisation's history through the historical context of the Chola empire, a powerful Tamil Dynasty.

He was welcomed by the local pandits in the temple. Earlier in the day, crowds thronged to see the Prime Minister as he held a roadshow in the Tiruchirappalli district.

His convoy received a warm welcome from the commoners gathered to witness his arrival. The temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is famed for its intricate sculptures, Chola bronzes, and ancient inscriptions. The Aadi Thiruvathirai festival also celebrates the rich Tamil Shaiva Bhakti tradition, fervently supported by the Cholas and immortalised by the 63 Nayanmars--the saint-poets of Tamil Shaivism.

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Notably, Rajendra Chola's birth star, Thiruvathirai (Ardra), begins on July 23, making this year's festival all the more significant.