Bengaluru, Nov 7 (IANS): Former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, congratulating him for inaugurating Adi Guru Shankaracharya's statue at Kedarnath in Uttarakhand.

"I wrote to Prime Minister Modi on how the Sringeri Sharada Peetham in Karnataka, established by the great saint, has to me always been a refined symbol of interfaith harmony," Deve Gowda stated.

On Friday, Modi unveiled a 12-foot statue of Shankaracharya at Kedarnath. The Prime Minister also offered prayers at the temple before unveiling the statue weighing 35 tonnes, work on which commenced in 2019.

"I was deeply moved to see the very impressive black schist statue of the great saint Sri Adi Shankaracharya being unveiled by you in Kedarnath on Nov 5. I congratulate you for the dedication you have shown to the transformation of the holy site," Deve Gowda stated.

"I wish to soon visit Kedarnath to see the newly-installed statue of the great saint. It is also a matter of great joy that the statue was sculpted by a Mysuru sculptor -- Arun Yogiraj. I also learn that the black schist is from HD Kote in Mysuru district of Karnataka. There is so much of Karnataka connection in this endeavour. It is all divinely arranged. May the grace of almighty be on you," Deve Gowda wrote in the letter.