88 lakh diyas to light up Gujarat for PM Modi’s birthday today

AHMEDABAD/GANDHINAGAR: More than 88 lakh earthen lamps will illuminate over 18,500 locations across Gujarat on Thursday as part of the ‘Aashirvad No Divdo’ programme being organised under the month-long ‘Seva Ane Sankalp Abhiyan’ to mark Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 76th birthday and commemorate his 25 years of public service.In Ahmedabad, the main event will be held at Kankaria Lakefront, where Union home minister Amit Shah and chief minister Bhupendra Patel will be present. The programme will feature the lighting of 1.25 lakh diyas at the lakefront, while another 76,000 lamps will illuminate the Atal Bridge.Amit Shah, Patel and mayor Hitesh Barot will also participate in the evening aarti at Jagannath Temple along with 1,000 sanitation workers.Providing details on Wednesday, state govt spokesperson Jitu Vaghani said programmes across Gujarat would begin at 6pm with bhajan sandhyas and cultural performances. The diyas will be lit at 7pm, coinciding with temple aartis.