CM Bhupendra Patel Backs Sakhi Mandals on Navratri Day Five
Synopsis
On Navratri's fifth day, Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel called on citizens to adopt Swadeshi goods and bolster Sakhi Mandals — state-backed women's self-help groups — framing collective female enterprise as the foundation of a new self-reliance story.
Key Takeaways
Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel posted the appeal on 15 October 2026 , the fifth night of Navratri, dedicated to Maa Skandamata .
Sakhi Mandals are women's self-help groups supported by the Gujarat government to promote skill development and economic independence.
CM Patel urged citizens to embrace Swadeshi goods as a concrete way to strengthen the livelihoods of SHG members.
Gujarat's SHG model operates under the national DAY-NRLM framework, launched in 2011 .
The message connects Gujarat's Navratri cultural observance with the broader Atmanirbhar Bharat economic vision.
On the fifth night of Navratri — the sacred day honouring Maa Skandamata — Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel turned a moment of devotion into a call for economic action on 15 October 2026, urging citizens to embrace Swadeshi goods and strengthen the women of the state's Sakhi Mandals.
Posting in Gujarati, CM Patel wrote: 'જ્યારે મહિલાની આવડત અને શક્તિ સંગઠિત થાય છે, ત્યારે આત્મનિર્ભરતાની નવી ગાથા રચાય છે.' — 'When a woman's skill and strength are organised, a new story of self-reliance is written.' He called the Sakhi Mandal sisters a living example of economic independence achieved through craft, capability, and collective unity, with the support of the Gujarat government.
Sakhi Mandals: Gujarat's Grassroots Engine for Women's Livelihoods
Gujarat's Sakhi Mandals — women's self-help groups promoted by the state — have been a cornerstone of rural livelihood policy since the early 2000s. The model gained national architecture when the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana–National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM), launched in 2011, scaled up SHG frameworks across states, with Gujarat among the active participants. The groups enable women to pool savings, access microcredit, develop marketable skills, and sell artisan products collectively.
Navratri as a Platform, Swadeshi as a Pledge
The timing is deliberate. Navratri — Gujarat's most widely celebrated cultural festival — draws massive public participation across nine nights, each honouring a distinct form of the Goddess. CM Patel's message on Day Five, associated with Skandamata, the warrior-mother deity, threads devotion with purpose: buy local, empower your neighbour. It is a pointed economic nudge, channelling the festival's collective spirit into a Swadeshi consumption pledge.
The framing mirrors the national Atmanirbhar Bharat narrative championed by successive BJP administrations, grounding it in the most relatable local context: a festive season, a neighbourhood artisan, a handmade product.
Point of View
The messaging links divine feminine power to state-sponsored livelihoods. The Swadeshi call asks individual consumers to become active stakeholders in the Sakhi Mandal ecosystem without requiring new public expenditure. Ahead of any post-Navratri policy announcements on credit or market linkages for SHGs, this post lays the narrative groundwork.
NationPress
15 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Sakhi Mandals in Gujarat?
Sakhi Mandals are women's self-help groups promoted by the Gujarat government to help rural and semi-urban women develop skills, pool savings, access microcredit, and sell products collectively, driving economic self-reliance.
What did CM Bhupendra Patel say about Sakhi Mandals on Navratri 2026?
CM Patel urged citizens on the fifth night of Navratri 2026 to adopt Swadeshi goods and pledge support to Sakhi Mandal sisters, calling their craft and unity a new story of self-reliance backed by the Gujarat government.
What is DAY-NRLM and how does it connect to Gujarat's Sakhi Mandals?
The Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana–National Rural Livelihoods Mission, launched in 2011, is a central government programme that scaled up the self-help group model nationally; Gujarat participates in this framework to support Sakhi Mandals with training and financial linkages.
Which goddess is worshipped on the fifth day of Navratri?
The fifth day of Navratri is dedicated to Maa Skandamata, mother of Lord Skanda (Kartikeya), revered as a symbol of maternal love and protective power.
How does the Swadeshi appeal connect to Atmanirbhar Bharat?
Atmanirbhar Bharat, the national self-reliance initiative, encourages preference for domestically made goods; CM Patel's Navratri Swadeshi pledge localises that call by directing spending towards Gujarat's women artisans in Sakhi Mandals.
