Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel joined thousands of citizens at the Kankaria Lakefront in Ahmedabad on Thursday, 17 September 2026, as the lakefront was illuminated with approximately 1.25 lakh diyas to celebrate Prime Minister Narendra Modi's birthday and mark 25 years of his public service. The event was part of the statewide 'Seva Sankalp Abhiyan', which kicked off across Gujarat on the same day.

Maha Aarti at Jagannath Temple

The day's celebrations began with HM Shah and CM Patel attending a Maha Aarti at the renowned Shri Jagannath Temple in Ahmedabad, where they sought the blessings of Lord Jagannath and offered prayers for PM Modi's good health and long life. Prayers were also offered for the well-being of the people of Gujarat.

The temple gathering was attended by a wide cross-section of dignitaries, including Minister of State for Urban Development Darshana Vaghela, Ahmedabad East MP Hasmukh Patel, Mayor Hitesh Barot, MLAs Dineshsinh Kushwaha, Kanchan Radadiya, Hasmukh Patel, and Kaushik Jain, along with BJP Ahmedabad City President Prerak Shah and Jagannath Temple Mahant Dilipdasji, besides a large number of devotees and party workers.

Kankaria Lakefront Illumination

The centrepiece of the evening was the 'Ek Deepak Aashirwad No' programme at the Kankaria Lakefront, where Shah and Patel performed Aarti of Maa Bharati as part of the 'Seva Sankalp Abhiyan'. The lakefront was transformed by roughly 1.25 lakh earthen lamps, creating a sweeping spectacle that drew large crowds of residents who joined in holding diyas and participating in the Aarti.

The Kankaria event was attended by a broad assembly of city officials and political representatives, including former MPs Harin Pathak and Dr Kirit Solanki, Deputy Mayor Anju Shah, Standing Committee Chairman Kamlesh Patel, Municipal Commissioner Banchhanidhi Pani, Ahmedabad Collector Bhavya Verma, and several corporators and municipal office-bearers.

Seva Sankalp Abhiyan Across Gujarat

The 'Seva Sankalp Abhiyan' is a statewide initiative launched by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Gujarat to coincide with PM Modi's birthday. Various public welfare programmes, community service events, and cultural activities were organised across the state on 17 September. The campaign reflects the party's broader effort to mark 25 years of Modi's continuous public service — spanning his tenure as Gujarat Chief Minister from 2001 and subsequently as Prime Minister since 2014.

Significance and Context

Celebrations of this scale in Ahmedabad carry particular weight, given the city's close association with PM Modi, who served as Gujarat's Chief Minister for over a decade before rising to the national stage. The simultaneous presence of the Home Minister and the incumbent Chief Minister at both a religious and a civic event signals the political and cultural significance the ruling party attaches to the occasion. This is among the largest diya-lighting events held in Ahmedabad in recent years, with the Kankaria Lakefront — a major urban recreational landmark — serving as the focal backdrop.

The programmes across Gujarat on Thursday are expected to continue through the coming days as part of a broader week-long public service campaign.