CM Bhupendra Patel at Porbandar Kirti Mandir for Gandhi Jayanti

Key Takeaways

Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel attended Gandhi Jayanti observances at Kirti Mandir, Porbandar on October 2, 2026 .

The event was a Sarva Dharma Prarthana Sabha — an inter-faith prayer congregation rooted in Gandhian tradition.

Kirti Mandir marks the exact birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi , born on October 2, 1869 , making this his 155th birth anniversary .

Patel shared a live broadcast of the prayer congregation on X, extending the moment to a digital audience.

Porbandar's Kirti Mandir is one of Gujarat's most significant heritage and pilgrimage sites, especially on Gandhi Jayanti.

On the 155th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel marked the occasion not from a ceremonial stage in Gandhinagar, but from the very soil where Gandhi was born — attending the Sarva Dharma Prarthana Sabha (inter-faith prayer congregation) at Porbandar's Kirti Mandir on Friday, October 2, 2026.

The Chief Minister shared a live broadcast of the event on X, signalling his presence at what is widely regarded as the most sacred site in Gandhian memory — the ancestral home of the Mahatma, now a national monument.

Kirti Mandir: Where Gandhi's Story Begins

Kirti Mandir in Porbandar, on Gujarat's Saurashtra coastline, stands on the site of the house where Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born on October 2, 1869. The modest structure, with its small room marking the exact birthplace, draws thousands of pilgrims and visitors each year — but none more so than on Gandhi Jayanti, a national holiday observed across India. A Sarva Dharma Prarthana Sabha — literally 'an assembly of prayer from all faiths' — is one of Gandhi's own legacies. He institutionalised inter-faith prayer as a daily ritual at his ashrams, insisting that no single religion owned the moral vocabulary of truth and non-violence. Holding such a congregation at Kirti Mandir on his birth anniversary is among the most direct ways to honour that philosophy in practice.

Gujarat's Annual Homage at the Source

For the Gujarat government and its leadership, attending Gandhi Jayanti observances at Porbandar carries both symbolic and political weight. The state takes institutional ownership of Gandhi's legacy — his birthplace sits within its borders, and successive state administrations have invested in the Kirti Mandir complex and the broader Porbandar heritage circuit. CM Patel's live broadcast of the prayer congregation extends that observance to a digital audience, making the moment accessible well beyond the gathered faithful at the temple grounds. As dawn prayers rose over Porbandar and the anniversary of a man who reshaped the moral imagination of an entire century was marked in the place it all began, the message from Gujarat's Chief Minister was straightforward: some anniversaries deserve to be witnessed where they started.

Point of View

Rather than a capital-city function, underscores Gujarat's long-held political posture as the custodian of Gandhi's physical and moral legacy — a posture that cuts across the usual ideological optics. The Sarva Dharma format is also notable: by foregrounding inter-faith prayer, the event signals an inclusive framing of the anniversary. Attending in person and broadcasting it live reflects a modern-governance instinct — using digital reach to amplify a traditional, place-specific act of commemoration. For Gujarat's ruling establishment, being seen at the Mahatma's birthplace on this day is as much a statement of continuity as it is of reverence.

NationPress

2 Oct 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel go to Porbandar on Gandhi Jayanti 2026?

CM Bhupendra Patel attended the Sarva Dharma Prarthana Sabha at Kirti Mandir in Porbandar — Mahatma Gandhi's birthplace — to mark Gandhi's 155th birth anniversary on October 2, 2026.

What is Kirti Mandir in Porbandar?

Kirti Mandir is a national monument built on the site of the ancestral home where Mahatma Gandhi was born on October 2, 1869, in Porbandar, Gujarat. It is one of the most visited Gandhi heritage sites in India.

What is a Sarva Dharma Prarthana Sabha?

A Sarva Dharma Prarthana Sabha is an inter-faith prayer congregation that brings together representatives of multiple religions. It was a practice Gandhi himself institutionalised at his ashrams as an expression of religious harmony.

When is Gandhi Jayanti celebrated in India?

Gandhi Jayanti is celebrated every year on October 2, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. It is a national holiday in India and is also observed globally as the International Day of Non-Violence.

Is Porbandar in Gujarat?

Yes, Porbandar is a coastal city in the Saurashtra region of Gujarat. It is best known as the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi and is home to Kirti Mandir, the memorial at his ancestral home.