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Rangoli, ‘kheer’, ‘poori’: Adopted village to celebrate PM Modi’s birthday in style
While Ankita Singh, a resident of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s adopted village Jayapur, made a Rangoli on the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao theme, Sudha Devi, another local from the village, was found making preparations for ‘kheer’ (rice pudding) and ‘poori’. Jayapur village ‘Pradhan’ (head) was also seen making arrangements at the Panchayat Bhawan.
Oliver Fredrick
oliver.fredrick@hindustantimes.com
VARANASI: Lalli aka Ankita Singh, resident of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s adopted village Jayapur here, was exceptionally busy on Friday. Usually this student of B Ed from Shepa College in Lathiya headed home straight after classes. But on Friday, she stopped at a store to buy red, yellow and green Rangoli colours.
No, the Rangoli was not intended for any festival but for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday which falls on Saturday.
“We are decorating our house to celebrate the birthday of our PM, who not only brought development to our country but also to our tiny village Jayapur,” said Ankita, making a Rangoli at the entrance of her house.
She said she liked Modi’s ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’ campaign the most and so, made the Rangoli on the same theme.
Ankita was not the only one enthusiastic about the birthday of PM Modi, who was born on September 17, 1950. Many other households planned celebrations in their own way.
Sudha Devi, another local from the village, was found making preparations for ‘kheer’ (rice pudding) and ‘poori’. “This is what we prepare on special occasions. The PM’s birthday is also special for us. We celebrate twice a year-- once on the PM’s birthday and then on November 7, the day he adopted our village in 2016,” she said.
Jayapur village ‘Pradhan’ (head) was also seen making arrangements at the Panchayat Bhawan. “We have organised a cake cutting ceremony at Panchayat Bhawan at 10 am. This is what we do every year. We will distribute sweets among the locals, especially children and senior citizens,” said Rajkumar Yadav, Jayapur gram pradhan.
Other villages which PM Modi adopted are also in celebration mode. In his first tenure between 2014 and 2019, the PM had adopted four villages, including Jayapur, Nagepur, Kakrahia and Domari. Later, he adopted two more villages, Poore Bariyarpur and Parampur under Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojna.
People said after the formal adoption, the villages saw massive development like opening of banks, ATMs, libraries, computer teaching labs, electrification and construction of bitumin roads.
The city area too remained abuzz with activities.
“We performed Ganga Arti at Dashashwamedh Ghat, offered 72-metre- long ‘chunri’ and prayed for the long life of PM Modi,” said Rajesh Shukla, convener of Namami Gange, the body that ensures cleaning of the banks of river Ganga.
BJP Kashi region workers performed hawan at Bada Dev Shiv temple in Godowlia.
