In the ancient city of Kashi, a 19-year-old scholar has achieved something extraordinary, capturing the nation's attention and earning rare, effusive praise from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Vedamurti Devavrat Mahesh Rekhe has successfully revived a Vedic chanting ritual untouched in its classical form for nearly two centuries, a feat that stands as a powerful testament to India's living spiritual heritage in the modern digital age.
The Monumental Feat: Dandakrama Parayanam Revived
The core of Devavrat's accomplishment is the Dandakrama Parayanam, an exacting 50-day recitation from the Shukla Yajurveda's Madhyandini branch. This discipline, considered the crown jewel of Vedic chanting for its incredibly complex phonetic structure, involves reciting nearly 2,000 mantras without a single interruption—no pause, falter, or wavering breath.
According to the revered Sringeri Math, this ritual in its original classical form has been recorded only three times in known history. For nearly 200 years, no one had completed it with such unwavering fidelity. Devavrat's act was not just personal devotion; it was a historic re-enactment of a vanishing art form, demanding an ascetic level of internal stillness and discipline rare even among seasoned practitioners.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Elated Praise
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is also the elected MP from Kashi, publicly applauded the young scholar on social media platform X. Sharing photographs, the Prime Minister expressed immense pride and framed the achievement as a matter of national cultural significance.
"What 19-year-old Vedamurti Devavrat Mahesh Rekhe has done will be remembered by the coming generations!" PM Modi wrote. He emphasized that every person passionate about Indian culture is proud of him for completing the Parayanam in 50 days without any break, stating that Devavrat "embodies the finest of our Guru Parampara."
The Prime Minister added that he was "elated" that such a monumental event unfolded in the sacred city of Kashi. His words served as both recognition for the teenager and a broader statement on the resilience of India's oral traditions.
Recognition and the Message of Continuity
The spiritual community's recognition was immediate and grand. With the blessings of the Jagadguru Shankaracharyas of the Dakshinamnaya Sri Sringeri Sharada Peetham, Devavrat was honoured with a golden bracelet worth ₹5 lakh and a cash reward of ₹1,11,116.
This gesture underscored the gravity of his accomplishment, blending reverence, gratitude, and collective pride. His feat positions him among the rare custodians of a practice once feared to be slipping into mere memory.
Kashi, a timeless crucible of knowledge, has a new chapter in its legacy, written by a teenager. The story of Vedamurti Devavrat Mahesh Rekhe is a profound reminder that India's intellectual and spiritual heritage thrives not just in archives, but in the lived devotion of its youngest practitioners. In a restless century, it proves that the oldest knowledge systems can still find their most dedicated champions on the youngest shoulders.
