Varanasi gears up for PM Modi’s visit; women perform 'shankhnaad' to welcome Prime Minister

New Delhi, April 28 Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Varanasi on Tuesday has sparked excitement across the city, with preparations in full swing to welcome him during his two-day tour of Uttar Pradesh.

At the iconic Ganga ghats in Kashi, groups of women -- many from the Bengali community -- gathered to celebrate his arrival with traditional rituals. They performed 'shankhnaad' (conch-blowing), offered prayers to Maa Ganga, and planned a grand welcome with flowers and an aarti.

Speaking to IANS, one woman said, “Today, on the arrival of the Prime Minister, we are performing Maa Ganga aarti and also offering aarti for the Prime Minister as part of his grand welcome. We are celebrating with great joy by showering flowers and performing shankhnaad here at the ghats…”

Another woman highlighted the enthusiasm surrounding upcoming political developments, saying, “There is a lot of excitement, especially regarding Bengal, as we are confident of winning there. If PM Modi is winning, it means we are winning. He is arriving, and preparations are underway to welcome him. We have been preparing for the last two days…”

Echoing similar sentiments, another participant remarked, “This is for PM Modi, because we are confident about winning the elections in Bengal. To celebrate that happiness, all of us women have come together in Varanasi and are celebrating with great enthusiasm.”

A fourth woman added, “He is our national leader, and since he is coming, we are very enthusiastic. We are welcoming him by performing shankhnaad and worshipping Maa Ganga…”

The atmosphere across the ghats reflected a mix of devotion, celebration, and political optimism, as locals and supporters prepared to receive the Prime Minister with traditional fervour.

PM Modi is visiting Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday for a two-day trip to launch the Ganga Expressway, participate in a Mahila Sammelan, and lay the foundation stone for projects worth around Rs 6,350 crore in Varanasi.

A Mahila Sammelan will be organised in the evening in Varanasi, and during the event, PM Modi is expected to highlight women-centric schemes of the double-engine government.

During the visit, the Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone of over 112 projects worth around Rs 5,300 crore. These include 13 sewerage and water supply schemes under AMRUT 2.0, a 500-bed multi-super-speciality hospital at Shri Shiv Prasad Gupta Divisional District Hospital and the construction of market complexes and office spaces at Bhojuveer and Sigra, among others.

The Prime Minister will also flag off two new Amrit Bharat Express trains: Banaras-Pune (Hadapsar) and Ayodhya-Mumbai (Lokmanya Tilak Terminus).

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