Emphasising the role of Tulsidas in awakening public consciousness through devotion and strength, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday said that while many kings and rulers surrendered to “foreign invaders”, Tulsidas chose not the sword but “spiritual resistance” through Ramlila and the Ramcharitmanas.Speaking at an event to celebrate the birth anniversary of the revered saint in Chitrakoot, the chief minister said: “In that period, when (Mughal Emperor) Akbar’s empire was expanding and there was a scramble for positions in his court, Tulsidas dedicated himself not to the service of any courtier, but solely to the devotion of Lord Ram… Tulsidas emerged as a wonderful confluence of devotion, power, and awakening public consciousness—choosing the path of defiance not through the sword, but through Ramlila and the Ramcharitmanas.”The chief minister claimed that while Emperor Akbar tried to project a softer image of his rule, its “underlying cruelty” remains evident even today. “Akbar presented a soft face of his rule, but the cruelty behind it is still visible to us today. The tradition of saints at that time firmly resisted it,” the CM said as he thanked Jagatguru Rambhadracharya and Murari Bapu for inviting him to the event. At the ceremony, propagators of Ramkatha were honoured with the Tulsi Award and the Ratnavali Award.During the event, distinguished Ramkatha narrators were honoured with the Tulsi Award and the Ratnavali Award.He said those who try to drag revered saints into a controversy, act deliberately to defame them. “Only those whose own lives are steeped in controversy indulge in such acts,” he said without taking any names. “These people will always try to create hurdles, but we must rise above their distractions and work unitedly to protect Sanatan Dharma and India’s rich cultural heritage,” he added.Speaking about the religious and cultural heritage of Chitrakoot, the chief minister said,” This is the land where ancient sages meditated and where Lord Ram spent the longest part of his exile. It is also the very soil that laid the foundation for epics like the Ramayan and Ramcharitmanas.”Adityanath also spoke about his visit to Mauritius and shared how, during the era of slavery, when Indians were taken there as labourers, Ramcharitmanas became their sole support.Story continues below this ad“When our Indian ancestors were taken to Mauritius as labourers, their only source of strength was Tulsidasji’s Ramcharitmanas. Even though they were not educated, they kept their culture alive through the Ramcharitmanas. Today, the descendants of those very labourers have become national leaders, and the Ramcharitmanas continues to be revered at the heart of their homes,” he added.Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:lucknowYogi Adityanath