From four Gujarat shrines, BJP bike yatras set out for Vadnagar ahead of Varanasi journey
Ahmedabad, Sep 13 (IANS) Four bike yatras carrying holy water from four prominent religious places in Gujarat began on Sunday as part of the BJP’s ‘Seva Sankalp Abhiyan’, with around 500 party workers travelling on 250 motorcycles towards Vadnagar, the birthplace of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The yatras began from Somnath, Unai Mata Temple, Shamlaji and Pavagadh and will follow separate routes through rural and urban areas of the state before converging in Vadnagar on September 16.
The exercise is being organised ahead of a subsequent ‘Vadnagar to Varanasi’ bike yatra, according to a party spokesperson.
The four groups will carry holy water to Vadnagar, where a portion will be used for a jalabhishek of Hatkeshwar Mahadev, and the remaining water will be added to Sharmishtha Lake.
The holy water from the lake will subsequently be carried by the 500 workers on 250 bikes to Varanasi, where it will be used for a jalabhishek of Kashi Vishwanath Mahadev.
The BJP said the campaign is being organised to mark what it described as PM Modi’s completion of 25 years of service in public life, including 13 years as Gujarat Chief Minister and 12 years as Prime Minister.
During the journeys, party workers will interact with residents in the villages and cities along the routes.
Programmes, gram sabhas and welcome events are also planned at different stops. State BJP office-bearers, state ministers, MPs, MLAs and other party leaders are expected to join the yatras at different stages.
The Somnath group will travel through Keshod, Junagadh, Virpur, and Gondal on the first day, before passing through Jasdan, Vinchhiya and Paliyad to Sarangpur on September 14.
It will reach Pirana via Barwala, Dhandhuka and Dholka on September 15, and Vadnagar via Sanand, Becharaji and Mehsana on September 16.
The Unai Mata Temple group will pass through Vyara, Songadh and Mandvi before reaching the Statue of Unity on September 14 via Netrang and Rajpipla. It will travel to Vadtal on September 15 and reach Vadnagar via Adalaj, Mansa and Visnagar the following day.
The Shamlaji group will travel through Bhiloda, Idar, Vadali and Khedbrahma before reaching Ambaji. It will proceed to Tharad via Palanpur and Deesa on September 14, Patan via Radhanpur on September 15, and Vadnagar via Siddhpur and Visnagar on September 16.
The Pavagadh group will pass through Halol, Kalol, Godhra, Balasinor and Thasra before reaching Dakor. It will travel through Anand, Nadiad and Kathlal to Kapadvanj on September 14, and via Bayad, Dhansura, Modasa and Prantij to Himmatnagar on September 15.
It will reach Vadnagar via Vijapur on September 16, with the group scheduled to arrive at 3 p.m.
After the Vadnagar leg, the 500 workers will begin their onward journey to Varanasi, carrying the holy water from Sharmishtha Lake, and completing the next stage of the campaign.
–IANS
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