Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, 30 October 2026, visited the Ekta Prakash Parv-2026 illumination festival at Ekta Nagar in Gujarat's Narmada district, a day ahead of the 151st birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. The Prime Minister is on a two-day Gujarat visit on 30 and 31 October, during which he is set to unveil 31 tourism and infrastructure projects worth a combined ₹426.71 crore at the Statue of Unity campus.

Inside the Ekta Prakash Parv

The indoor section of the illumination festival has been divided into four zones representing North, East, West, and South India, using lighting and artistic installations to highlight each region's distinct cultural and architectural heritage. The North Indian zone features the Ram temple, Himalayan culture, and folk art from Punjab and Rajasthan, while the eastern section depicts Assam's Bihu traditions, Odisha's architecture, and Bengal's cultural heritage.

The western zone showcases Gujarat's Garba, Rani ki Vav, and Kutch handicrafts alongside Maharashtra's culture. The southern section presents the Meenakshi Temple, Hampi, and Kerala's boat races. PM Modi also walked through the outdoor section near the Statue of Unity, where 11 sections — including displays titled 'Bharat – Sone Ki Chidiya' and 'Samay Ka Chakra', a light tunnel, illuminated flowers, and yoga-themed installations — present Indian values through illuminated art.

The 91-day festival, inaugurated by Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, is free for visitors daily between 6 pm and 10:30 pm until 15 January 2027. This is its second consecutive year, following the inaugural edition in 2025.

Bharat Parv 2026 Also Launched

On Friday, the Prime Minister also inaugurated Bharat Parv 2026 at Ekta Nagar — a cultural festival spotlighting the traditions, folk performances, regional cuisines, handicrafts, and tourism offerings of states and Union Territories across the country. The event will run until 15 November 2026.

₹426 Crore Tourism Push on Sardar Patel's 151st Birth Anniversary

On Saturday, 31 October, PM Modi will pay floral tributes at the Statue of Unity at approximately 9 am and then inaugurate and lay the foundation stones for 31 projects in the area. Of these, 23 projects worth ₹307.83 crore are to be inaugurated, while foundation stones will be laid for eight projects worth ₹118.88 crore.

Projects to be inaugurated include an IRCTC hotel built at a cost of ₹50 crore, an Ekta Cruise costing ₹16 crore, a Rain Forest attraction worth ₹14.30 crore, and an Eco Trail costing ₹3.67 crore. The package also covers sewage and water treatment plants, travelators, a parade track, staff quarters, road improvements, and facade lighting at the Statue of Unity campus. Foundation-stone projects include the Gora-Bhanadra Road, a smart zero-waste integrated solid waste management facility, Khalwani Eco-Tourism, an integrated Cactus and Butterfly Garden, a disaster control room for the Sardar Sarovar Dam, and road development works.

Rashtriya Ekta Diwas Celebrations

Following the project inaugurations, PM Modi will visit the Rain Forest and Vaman Vriksha Vatika before attending the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas programme at around 5:30 pm. The event will feature an Ekta Parade by Central Armed Police Forces, state police forces, and central police organisations.

A theatrical presentation on 'Naxal Mukt Bharat' by the National School of Drama will involve around 2,000 artistes from 126 districts affected by Left-Wing Extremism. Cultural performances on the theme 'Vande Mataram' will see approximately 5,000 artistes from across the country take part. The scale of Saturday's programme underscores the Centre's continued emphasis on national integration messaging anchored to Sardar Patel's legacy.