Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah is set to participate in several events across Gujarat on Friday. Highlighting the day’s schedule, Shah will lay the foundation stone for an 81-foot-tall statue of Lord Shiva at the Shaktipeeth Sri Varadayini Mataji temple located in Rupals of Gandhinagar.
Religious and Cultural Engagements
According to official sources, Shah’s itinerary includes visits to Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar’s religious sites, an evening aarti in Mansa, and participation in the traditional Ras Garba event in Kolavada. These visits coincide with the ongoing Navratri festival, renowned throughout Gujarat for its religious ceremonies and cultural festivities.
The minister’s engagements will commence at 2:45 pm with a visit to Prerna Teerth in Satellite, Ahmedabad, where he will meet Param Pujya Nar Ratna Suri Swamiji Maharaj, the Gachchhadhipati. Following this, at 3:15 pm, Shah will meet Param Pujya Udayprabha Suri Swamiji Maharaj at Shri Vishva Jain Sangh in Paldi.
Foundation Stone Ceremony and Evening Programmes
The highlight is the foundation stone laying ceremony of the proposed 81-foot Shiva statue at 6 pm in Rupals. Here, Shah will also participate in worship within the temple premises before proceeding to his next events.
At 7:30 pm, the minister will attend the evening aarti at Bahuchar Mata Temple in Mansa, further reflecting his engagement with significant religious institutions during Navratri. His final scheduled event is at 9:30 pm in Kolavada at the Shri Ramji Temple in Navratri Chowk, where he will join the Ras Garba organized by the Navratri Yuva Mandal.
These occasions during Navratri highlight the vibrant traditions of Gujarat, including prayers at Hindu temples, meetings with Jain religious leaders, and participation in cultural events like garba dance.
Amit Shah last visited Gujarat on September 27, when he jointly inaugurated railway development projects worth 1,472 crore rupees in Ahmedabad alongside Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel. During that visit, he flagged off the country’s first LNG-powered train and inaugurated the WAG-12 locomotive maintenance shed.
He also oversaw the launching of new railway infrastructure, including automatic signaling systems and the indigenous Kavach train protection system on selected routes, marking significant advancements in the region’s transportation network.
