CM Rekha Gupta Pays Tribute on Valmiki Jayanti
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
On the birth anniversary of Maharshi Valmiki — the ancient sage revered as the Adi Kavi (first poet) and composer of the Sanskrit epic Ramayana — Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta offered her homage on Monday, 26 October 2026, invoking the timeless ideals the sage enshrined in verse thousands of years ago.
In her post, CM Gupta expressed 'countless salutations' to the sage and extended 'heartfelt wishes to all fellow countrymen,' describing Valmiki's divine composition as having immortalised Lord Rama's glory, his transcendent character, and the great ideals of dharma (righteousness), satya (truth), and maryada (dignity) 'for age upon age.'
The Sage Who Gave Rama an Eternal Stage
Maharshi Valmiki is celebrated across the Hindu tradition as the author of the original Sanskrit Ramayana, a text of roughly 24,000 verses that became the foundational source for countless regional retellings across South and Southeast Asia. The title Adi Kavi — the first poet — reflects the belief that Valmiki invented the shloka metre itself, giving Sanskrit poetry its rhythmic heartbeat. Valmiki Jayanti, observed on the full moon of the Hindu month of Ashwin, marks his birth each year with processions and recitations in communities across India.
Ram-Bhakti, Sanatan Culture, and a Recurring Political Rhythm
CM Gupta's message wove together three strands that have become a consistent thread in BJP leaders' public communications: devotion to Lord Rama, pride in Sanatan (eternal) culture, and the universal humanitarian message she says is embedded in Valmiki's verse. She described the sage's immortal words as carrying 'the power of Ram-bhakti, the glory of Sanatan culture, and the eternal message of welfare for all humanity.'
Indian political leaders across the spectrum routinely mark Valmiki Jayanti with public tributes, but the Ramayana's centrality to BJP's cultural framing gives the day particular resonance for party figures. The messaging fits a broader pattern of engagement with Ramayana-linked observances — from Ram Navami to the consecration of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya — that the party has made a signature of its public identity.
For Delhi's Chief Minister, leading such tributes also carries local weight: the capital's large Valmiki community holds the sage as a patron saint, and processions in neighbourhoods such as Valmiki Mandir, Mandir Marg draw significant participation each year.