Uttarayan in Gujarat: Shah offers prayers at Jagannath Temple, CM announces cleanliness drive

Ahmedabad: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday offered prayers at Lord Jagannath temple in Ahmedabad in Gujarat and flew kites along with supporters here as part of Uttarayan celebrations.

Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel began the day by launching a week-long drive to clean religious places in the state to mark Makar Sankranti. He cleaned the premises of a temple near Gandhinagar as part of the drive.

Political leaders and other public figures celebrated Uttarayan festival by flying kites along with kin and friends, with many people being seen on the terraces of buildings.

Shah visited Lord Jagannath temple in Ahmedabad and offered prayers along with family members and then flew kites in Vejalpur. He is also scheduled to take part in Uttarayan celebrations in two Assembly seats in Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar later in the day.

"Best wishes to everyone on the auspicious festival of Uttarayan. May this auspicious festival bring happiness, prosperity and good health in your life," Shah said in a post in Gujarati on X, formerly Twitter.

In his message on X, CM Patel said, "The auspicious occasion of the prana pratistha (consecration) of the magnificent temple of Lord Shri Ram at Ayodhya is to be held on January 22, regarding which honorable Prime Minister Shri Narendrabhai Modi has called upon countrymen to undertake a campaign to clean all small and big places of worship across the country."

"Taking this call of the Honorable Prime Minister, we should make all the religious places in Gujarat clean and tidy. A state-wide public cleanliness campaign has been launched from January 14 to 22," he added.

Patel said on Makar Sankranti he got an opportunity to participate in the cleaning work of the Dholeshwar Mahadev temple premises near Gandhinagar.