Amit Shah to lay foundation stone for 81-foot Shiva statue in Gandhinagar on Oct 16
Synopsis
Home Minister Amit Shah heads to Gujarat on 16 October with a schedule that blends religion and culture — laying the foundation stone for an 81-foot Shiva statue in Gandhinagar, visiting Jain leaders in Ahmedabad, attending an aarti in Mansa, and joining a Raas Garba in Kolwada, all during the peak of Navratri.
Key Takeaways
Amit Shah will visit Gujarat on 16 October 2026 for a series of religious and cultural programmes.
He will lay the foundation stone for an 81-foot Shiva statue at Shaktipeeth Shri Varadayini Mataji Temple , Rupal, Gandhinagar , at 6 pm .
The itinerary includes meetings with two Jain religious leaders in Ahmedabad at 2:45 pm and 3:15 pm .
Shah will attend an aarti at Bahuchar Mata Temple, Mansa at 7:30 pm and a Raas Garba event in Kolwada at 9:30 pm .
His previous Gujarat visit on 27 September saw the inauguration of railway projects worth ₹1,472 crore at Sabarmati railway station .
Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah will lay the foundation stone for an 81-foot-tall statue of Lord Shiva at the Shaktipeeth Shri Varadayini Mataji Temple in the Rupal area of Gandhinagar on 16 October 2026, government officials confirmed on Thursday. The ceremony is scheduled for 6 pm and forms part of a packed series of religious and cultural engagements across Gujarat during the Navratri period.
Full Itinerary for October 16
Shah's Gujarat visit begins in Ahmedabad, where he will first call on Gachchhadhipati Param Pujya Nar Ratna Surishwar Ji Maharaj at Prerna Tirth in the city's Satellite area at 2:45 pm. He will then proceed to Shri Vishwa Jain Sangh in Paldi at 3:15 pm for a meeting with Gachchhadhipati Param Pujya Udayprabha Surishwar Ji Maharaj.
Following the foundation-laying ceremony in Gandhinagar's Rupal at 6 pm, Shah will offer prayers at the temple complex before heading to Mansa. At 7:30 pm, he is scheduled to attend the aarti at Bahuchar Mata Temple. His final engagement is a Raas Garba programme organised by Navratri Yuvak Mandal at Shri Ramji Temple in Navratri Chowk, Kolwada at 9:30 pm.
Significance of the Navratri Visit
The visit is timed to coincide with Navratri, when religious gatherings and traditional garba celebrations are held across Gujarat. The itinerary spans both Hindu and Jain religious institutions — reflecting the cultural fabric of the state. The inclusion of a Raas Garba programme at Kolwada underscores the political and social significance of the festival, which draws large community participation.
Shah's Previous Gujarat Visit
Shah had last visited Gujarat on 27 September, when he inaugurated railway development projects worth ₹1,472 crore at Sabarmati railway station in Ahmedabad alongside Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel. On that occasion, he flagged off the country's first liquefied natural gas (LNG)-powered train and inaugurated a WAG-12 locomotive maintenance shed. He also launched the deployment of the indigenous Kavach train protection system on selected routes, alongside automatic signalling infrastructure aimed at improving railway safety and energy efficiency.
What to Watch
The proposed 81-foot Shiva statue at Shaktipeeth Shri Varadayini Mataji Temple will be one of the landmark religious monuments in the Gandhinagar region once completed. Further details on the construction timeline and project cost are expected to emerge following the foundation-laying ceremony on Friday.
Point of View
And visible engagement with its religious and cultural calendar reinforces that bond. The 81-foot Shiva statue at a Shaktipeeth adds to a broader national pattern of large-scale religious monument projects by BJP-affiliated governments. Notably, the itinerary spans both Hindu and Jain institutions, a deliberate outreach to two of Gujarat's most influential community constituencies. What remains to be detailed after Friday's ceremony is the project's cost, timeline, and funding structure for the statue.
NationPress
15 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Amit Shah visiting Gujarat on 16 October 2026?
Amit Shah is visiting Gujarat on 16 October to attend a series of religious and cultural engagements during the Navratri period. His key programme is the foundation-laying ceremony for an 81-foot Shiva statue at Shaktipeeth Shri Varadayini Mataji Temple in Gandhinagar's Rupal, along with visits to Jain religious leaders and a Raas Garba event.
Where will the 81-foot Shiva statue be built?
The statue will be built at the Shaktipeeth Shri Varadayini Mataji Temple in the Rupal area of Gandhinagar, Gujarat. The foundation stone will be laid by Home Minister Amit Shah on 16 October 2026 at 6 pm.
What other programmes are part of Amit Shah's Gujarat itinerary?
Besides the foundation-laying ceremony, Shah will meet two Jain religious leaders in Ahmedabad, attend the aarti at Bahuchar Mata Temple in Mansa at 7:30 pm, and participate in a Raas Garba programme organised by Navratri Yuvak Mandal in Kolwada at 9:30 pm.
When did Amit Shah last visit Gujarat before this trip?
Shah last visited Gujarat on 27 September, when he inaugurated railway development projects worth ₹1,472 crore at Sabarmati railway station in Ahmedabad. He flagged off India's first LNG-powered train and launched the Kavach train protection system on selected routes.
What is the significance of the Navratri period for Shah's visit?
Navratri is one of Gujarat's most widely observed festivals, marked by large-scale garba celebrations and religious gatherings across the state. Shah's participation in temple visits, aartis, and a Raas Garba programme during this period underlines both cultural engagement and political outreach in the BJP's home state.
