Yogi, Rajnath Singh offer puja at Kashi Vishwanath on Modi's 76th birthday
Synopsis
On PM Modi's 76th birthday, the Kashi Vishwanath Dham — the temple complex he revamped in his own constituency — became the backdrop for a high-profile NDA gathering. With Yogi, Rajnath Singh, Chandrababu Naidu and Chirag Paswan all in attendance, the puja doubled as a show of coalition unity, while Naidu's claim that Modi is the first leader in India's history to hold constitutional office for 25 uninterrupted years added a fresh talking point.
Key Takeaways
CM Yogi Adityanath performed a special puja at Kashi Vishwanath Dham , Varanasi , on 17 September 2026 — PM Modi's 76th birthday .
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh , AP CM Chandrababu Naidu , Union Minister Chirag Paswan , and UP BJP President Pankaj Chaudhary attended the ritual.
Leaders prayed for PM Modi's long life and the fulfilment of the Viksit Bharat and Aatmanirbhar Bharat goals.
Chandrababu Naidu noted that PM Modi has completed 25 years in constitutional posts — as Gujarat CM and then Prime Minister — calling it unprecedented in Indian history.
The venue, Kashi Vishwanath Dham , is in PM Modi's own parliamentary constituency and was redeveloped under his government, inaugurated in December 2021 .
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday, 17 September 2026, performed a special puja at the Kashi Vishwanath Dham in Varanasi on the occasion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 76th birthday, praying for his long life, good health, and continued leadership of the country. The ritual drew a prominent gathering of ruling coalition leaders, underscoring the political weight attached to the occasion.
Who Attended the Special Puja
The prayers were joined by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Union Minister Chirag Paswan, Uttar Pradesh BJP President Pankaj Chaudhary, and several other senior leaders and party functionaries. The convergence of top Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and National Democratic Alliance (NDA) figures at the revered temple — which sits in the Prime Minister's own parliamentary constituency of Kashi — added symbolic resonance to the event.
What the Leaders Said
Addressing reporters after the puja, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath called the day one of 'great pride and good fortune.' He said: 'Today is a day of great pride and good fortune for all of us as it is the birthday of India's Prime Minister and Kashi MP Narendra Modi. We have just performed a special puja and ritual at the holy Baba Vishwanath Dham on the occasion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's birthday, along with the Defence Minister, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, Union Minister Chirag Paswan, Uttar Pradesh BJP President Pankaj Chaudhary and other senior leaders.'
Yogi added that the prayers included wishes for India's economic ascent: 'We have prayed that he lives a long and healthy life and leads India for the longest possible time, so that India becomes Aatmanirbhar and the dreams of Viksit Bharat are fulfilled. We have also prayed that under his leadership, India grows rapidly to become the world's number one economy.'
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh affirmed the sentiment, saying: 'We have prayed to the Almighty to grant our Prime Minister Modi a long life, that he remains healthy throughout his life, and that the goal of a Viksit Bharat can be accomplished.'
Chandrababu Naidu Marks 25 Years of Modi in Constitutional Roles
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu used the occasion to highlight a statistical milestone, noting that Prime Minister Modi has now completed 25 years in constitutional posts — spanning his tenures as Chief Minister of Gujarat and then Prime Minister. Naidu said: 'He has completed 25 years in constitutional posts — as Chief Minister and Prime Minister. He is totally an able leader, uninterrupted, working for this nation. Never in the history of India, one person has continued for 25 years continuously.'
Significance of Kashi Vishwanath as the Venue
The choice of the Kashi Vishwanath Dham for the birthday puja carries layered significance. Varanasi is Prime Minister Modi's parliamentary constituency, and the temple complex was substantially redeveloped and expanded under his government in a flagship project inaugurated in December 2021. Holding a birthday puja here blends personal devotion with political symbolism, reinforcing the BJP's cultural messaging. This is the latest in a series of high-profile gatherings at the Dham that have combined religious observance with political optics since the corridor's inauguration.
Point of View
And Varanasi is his constituency; performing the ritual here fuses devotion with symbolism in a way that benefits both the PM's image and the attending leaders' proximity to power. Chandrababu Naidu's '25 uninterrupted years' claim is politically useful for the NDA coalition but warrants scrutiny — it counts consecutive tenures across different offices rather than a single unbroken mandate. More broadly, such high-profile collective displays of loyalty from coalition partners signal the NDA's unity ahead of several state election cycles, even as the substance of governance benchmarks like Viksit Bharat remains a work in progress.
NationPress
17 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did CM Yogi Adityanath perform a puja at Kashi Vishwanath on 17 September 2026?
CM Yogi Adityanath performed the special puja to mark Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 76th birthday on 17 September 2026, praying for his long life, good health, and continued leadership towards Viksit Bharat.
Who joined Yogi Adityanath at the Kashi Vishwanath Dham puja?
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Union Minister Chirag Paswan, and Uttar Pradesh BJP President Pankaj Chaudhary attended the puja alongside CM Yogi Adityanath.
What did Chandrababu Naidu say about PM Modi's tenure?
Chandrababu Naidu stated that PM Modi has completed 25 years in constitutional posts — spanning his time as Gujarat Chief Minister and then Prime Minister — describing it as unprecedented in Indian history, saying 'never in the history of India, one person has continued for 25 years continuously.'
Why was Kashi Vishwanath Dham chosen for the birthday puja?
Kashi Vishwanath Dham is located in Varanasi, PM Modi's parliamentary constituency. The temple complex was substantially redeveloped under his government and inaugurated in December 2021, making it a symbolically significant venue for the occasion.
What did Rajnath Singh say at the Kashi Vishwanath puja?
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said the leaders prayed to the Almighty to grant PM Modi a long and healthy life so that the goal of a Viksit Bharat could be accomplished.
