PM Modi Varanasi Visit: Women Perform Shankhnaad at Ganga Ghats
Synopsis
Women from Varanasi's Bengali community performed shankhnaad and Ganga aarti to welcome PM Modi, who arrived for a packed two-day UP tour featuring Rs 6,350 crore project launches, a Mahila Sammelan, and the flagging off of two new Amrit Bharat Express trains.
Key Takeaways
PM Modi visited Varanasi on April 29, 2025 for a two-day Uttar Pradesh tour.
Women at Kashi's Ganga ghats , many from the Bengali community , performed shankhnaad and Maa Ganga aarti to welcome him.
The Prime Minister launched the Ganga Expressway and laid foundation stones for over 112 projects worth Rs 5,300 crore .
A Mahila Sammelan was organised in Varanasi where Modi highlighted women-centric government schemes.
Two new Amrit Bharat Express trains — Banaras-Pune (Hadapsar) and Ayodhya-Mumbai (Lokmanya Tilak Terminus) — were flagged off.
Projects include 13 sewerage and water supply schemes under AMRUT 2.0 and a 500-bed multi-super-speciality hospital at Shri Shiv Prasad Gupta Divisional District Hospital.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's two-day visit to Varanasi on Tuesday, April 29, has ignited a wave of celebration across the ancient city, with groups of women gathering at the iconic Ganga ghats to welcome him through traditional rituals including shankhnaad (conch-blowing) and Maa Ganga aarti. The visit marks one of Modi's most significant returns to his parliamentary constituency, packed with project launches worth over Rs 6,350 crore.
Grand Welcome at the Ganga Ghats
Scenes of devotion and political enthusiasm merged at Kashi's riverfront as women — many belonging to the Bengali community — assembled at the ghats well before the Prime Minister's arrival. They blew conch shells, showered flowers, and offered prayers to Maa Ganga as part of an elaborate reception. One participant told IANS,
Point of View
Blurring the line between developmental outreach and campaign mobilisation. Mainstream coverage will focus on the Rs 6,350 crore project bonanza, but the more consequential subtext is how Modi continues to use Kashi as a national stage — a spiritual-political theatre that rivals find nearly impossible to counter. The question worth asking: will the 112 projects announced today translate into ground-level delivery before the next election bell rings?
NationPress
3 May 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did PM Modi visit Varanasi on April 29, 2025?
PM Modi visited Varanasi on April 29, 2025, for a two-day Uttar Pradesh tour to launch the Ganga Expressway, attend a Mahila Sammelan, lay foundation stones for over 112 projects worth Rs 5,300 crore, and flag off two new Amrit Bharat Express trains.
What is shankhnaad and why was it performed at the Ganga ghats?
Shankhnaad refers to the ritual blowing of conch shells, considered auspicious in Hindu tradition. Women at Varanasi's Ganga ghats performed shankhnaad along with Maa Ganga aarti to offer a traditional and devotional welcome to Prime Minister Modi.
What projects did PM Modi launch in Varanasi during this visit?
PM Modi laid foundation stones for over 112 projects worth around Rs 5,300 crore, including 13 sewerage and water supply schemes under AMRUT 2.0, a 500-bed multi-super-speciality hospital, and market complexes at Bhojuveer and Sigra.
Which new trains were flagged off by PM Modi in Varanasi?
PM Modi flagged off two new Amrit Bharat Express trains: the Banaras-Pune (Hadapsar) Express and the Ayodhya-Mumbai (Lokmanya Tilak Terminus) Express, expanding rail connectivity from Uttar Pradesh.
What was the significance of Bengali community women welcoming PM Modi in Varanasi?
The participation of Bengali community women in Varanasi's welcome celebrations was seen as politically significant, with participants expressing confidence about BJP's prospects in West Bengal and linking Modi's success to their own aspirations.
