Varanasi

A motorcycle journey from Varanasi to Vadnagar in Gujarat is among the special programmes planned here to mark Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 76th birthday on Thursday, as 76 young priests performed special prayers and milk 'abhishek' of the Ganga seeking his good health and long life.

Local BJP MLA and former Uttar Pradesh minister Neelkanth Tiwari led the religious programme, in which 76 "batuks" performed the rituals on the banks of the Ganga amid Vedic chants.

The priests performed the worship according to traditional rituals and prayed for Modi's health, longevity and well-being.

Several people attending the programme were seen carrying photographs of Modi, who represents Varanasi in the Lok Sabha.

Tiwari said Modi's birthday was being observed with a focus on service, spiritual faith and public welfare.

"As part of this, 76 batuks performed milk abhishek of Maa Ganga and prayed for the Prime Minister's good health and long life," he said.

He said Ganga holds a special place in the religious and spiritual traditions of Kashi and that worshipping the river on the prime minister's birthday and praying for his long and healthy life was connected to the faith and traditions of the city.

Several other programmes have also been planned in Varanasi during the day, with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Union Food Processing Industries Minister Chirag Paswan, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, Uttar Pradesh BJP president and Union Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary, and several state ministers, MLAs and other public representatives expected to participate.

A major highlight of the day's programmes is the ‘Seva Sankalp’ motorcycle journey from Varanasi to Vadnagar, the birthplace of Modi.

The journey will be flagged off from the Rudraksh International Cooperation and Convention Centre in the Sigra area of Varanasi.

Around 500 participants will undertake the journey on 250 motorcycles as part of the ‘Seva Sankalp Abhiyan’, marking Modi's 25 years of dedicated public service.

The journey is scheduled to be flagged off by Rajnath Singh and Yogi Adityanath from the Rudraksh Convention Centre.

Chandrababu Naidu, Chirag Paswan, Pankaj Chaudhary and Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak are also scheduled to attend the programme.

Before the motorcycle journey begins, 51 service volunteers participating in it will reach Lalita Ghat, collect Gangajal and proceed to the Kashi Vishwanath temple for prayers and Jalabhishek. The programme will also include Vedic chanting, a havan at 11 kunds, tilak of the participants, ‘damru’ performances and blessings from saints.

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The motorcycle journey will pass through 50 districts of Uttar Pradesh.