Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel joins Shramdaan at Modi's birthplace Vadnagar
Synopsis
Senior BJP leaders descended on PM Modi's birthplace Vadnagar on his birthday — Home Minister Amit Shah and Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel led a Maha Aarti, a padayatra, cleanliness drives, and a 250-biker rally to Varanasi carrying sacred water for Jalabhishek at Kashi Vishwanath Temple, all under the 'Seva Sankalp Abhiyan' marking Modi's 25 years in public service.
Key Takeaways
Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel participated in Shramdaan at Vadnagar Bus Port on 17 September 2026 , PM Modi's birthday.
Events were held under 'Seva Sankalp Abhiyan' , 'Seva Setu' , and 'Swachhata Hi Seva' initiatives statewide.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah and CM Patel performed Maha Aarti at Sharmishtha Lake and undertook a padayatra to Hatkeshwar Mahadev Temple .
A bike rally of around 250 bikers was flagged off from Vadnagar to Varanasi , carrying water from Sharmishtha Ghat for Jalabhishek at Kashi Vishwanath Temple .
Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde and Gujarat Energy Minister Rushikesh Patel were also present.
Trees were planted under the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign at multiple sites in Vadnagar.
Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Thursday, 17 September 2026, took part in a cleanliness drive at the Vadnagar Bus Port — Prime Minister Narendra Modi's birthplace — participating in 'Shramdaan' and planting saplings under the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign. The events form part of statewide observances marking PM Modi's birthday and his 25 years in public service.
Key Developments at Vadnagar
Chief Minister Patel led the Shramdaan at the Vadnagar Bus Port under the 'Swachhata Hi Seva' initiative, combining the cleanliness effort with a tree-plantation message of environmental conservation. The programme was organised under the 'Seva Sankalp Abhiyan' and 'Seva Setu' frameworks being rolled out across Gujarat.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Gujarat Energy Minister Rushikesh Patel, local public representatives, government officials, and a large number of citizens joined the Chief Minister at the event. Participants also extended birthday wishes for PM Modi's health and well-being.
Amit Shah at Sharmishtha Lake and Hatkeshwar Temple
Earlier in the day, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel participated in a Maha Aarti at Sharmishtha Lake in Vadnagar, offering prayers for Modi's long life. The leaders subsequently undertook a padayatra from Sharmishtha Lake to the historic Hatkeshwar Mahadev Temple, where prayers were offered for the progress of the state and the nation.
Home Minister Shah also participated in a cleanliness drive at Vadnagar Railway Station, where trees were planted under the same 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign.
Bike Rally from Vadnagar to Varanasi
A bike rally connecting Vadnagar to Varanasi was flagged off from the Hatkeshwar Temple by Shah, Patel, and other dignitaries. Around 250 bikers are participating in the rally, carrying the message of public service and nation-building along the route.
The bikers are also transporting water collected from Sharmishtha Ghat in Vadnagar to Varanasi for a Jalabhishek at the Kashi Vishwanath Temple — an initiative intended to symbolise the connection between the two historic cities closely associated with PM Modi.
Scale of the Statewide Observance
The programmes being held across Gujarat under 'Seva Sankalp Abhiyan' and 'Seva Setu' encompass a range of activities focused on public service, cleanliness, and community participation. Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders and state government officials have been organising events throughout the day to mark the occasion.
The convergence of senior central and state leaders in Vadnagar underlines the political and symbolic significance the ruling BJP places on PM Modi's birthplace as a site of public outreach. All eyes now turn to how these service-oriented programmes are received as the party's wider outreach ahead of future electoral cycles takes shape.
Point of View
A Chief Minister, a Deputy CM from another state, a 250-strong bike rally, and coordinated statewide drives — signals that the BJP is treating Modi's birthday not merely as a party occasion but as a structured public-outreach exercise. The 'Seva Sankalp Abhiyan' framing is politically deliberate: it ties grassroots cleanliness and service activity to Modi's personal narrative rather than to party machinery alone. What is notable is the Vadnagar-to-Varanasi thread — linking Modi's birthplace to Kashi, two constituencies central to his political identity. That symbolic geography tells you as much about the messaging intent as any policy announcement would.
NationPress
17 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What events took place in Vadnagar on PM Modi's birthday on 17 September?
Senior BJP leaders including Home Minister Amit Shah and Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel led a Maha Aarti at Sharmishtha Lake, a padayatra to Hatkeshwar Mahadev Temple, cleanliness drives at the Vadnagar Bus Port and Railway Station, and flagged off a 250-biker rally to Varanasi. The events marked PM Modi's birthday and 25 years of his public service.
What is the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign?
'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' is a tree-plantation initiative under which participants plant a sapling in honour of their mother. Trees were planted at multiple sites in Vadnagar on 17 September as part of the birthday observances.
What is the Vadnagar to Varanasi bike rally about?
Around 250 bikers were flagged off from Hatkeshwar Mahadev Temple in Vadnagar to Varanasi, carrying water from Sharmishtha Ghat for a Jalabhishek at the Kashi Vishwanath Temple. The initiative is intended to symbolise the connection between Vadnagar, PM Modi's birthplace, and Varanasi, his Lok Sabha constituency.
What is the 'Seva Sankalp Abhiyan'?
'Seva Sankalp Abhiyan' is a Gujarat government programme organising public-service, cleanliness, and community-participation activities across the state to mark PM Modi's birthday and his 25-year journey in public service. It runs alongside the related 'Seva Setu' initiative.
Who attended the Vadnagar events alongside Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel?
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Gujarat Energy Minister Rushikesh Patel, local public representatives, government officials, and a large number of citizens participated in the various events held in Vadnagar on 17 September.
