PM'€™s 75th birthday: Milk offered to Ganga at Varanasi ghat for Modi'€™s long life

Varanasi (UP), Sep 17 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 75th birthday on Wednesday was marked with Vedic rituals, a special 'dugdhabhishek' (milk offering) to the Ganga river and announcements of various developmental projects for his Varanasi Lok Sabha constituency.

City South MLA Dr Neelkanth Tiwari, along with 108 young Vedic scholars from Annapurna Rishikul Brahmacharya Ashram and Shastrarth Mahavidyalaya, performed 'dugdhabhishek' and chanted Vedic mantras at the Dashashwamedh Ghat to pray for PM Modi's long life and the nation's prosperity.

Fruits were distributed in hospitals, orphanages and old-age homes, while a special Ganga 'aarti' is scheduled for 5:45 pm at Namo Ghat.

Varanasi Mayor Ashok Tiwari said that the municipal corporation will mark the occasion by inaugurating and laying foundation stones of projects worth Rs 111 crore, including road construction, repair and drainage work of 65.68 km across all eight zones and five Assembly segments at a cost of Rs 63.76 crore.

The civic body also announced the cleaning and renovation of 75 wells, the construction of a 30-bed shelter home under Pandeypur flyover and initiatives such as home registration of pet dogs and the launch of mobile animal capture vehicles.

A 75-kg cake will also be cut to celebrate the milestone birthday.

Religious ceremonies, including the 'sahastraarchan' of Baba Kashi Vishwanath with 1,100 lotus flowers followed by a 'maharudrabhishek', were organised by seers praying for PM Modi's health, national unity, and a long tenure as prime minister.

BJP functionaries said blood donation camps were being held at IMA Blood Bank, Divisional Hospital and ESIC Hospital as part of the celebrations.

Born on September 17, 1950, in Gujarat's Vadnagar, Modi scripted history on June 9, 2024, by taking oath as prime minister for a third consecutive term, becoming the first non-Congress leader and only the second after Jawaharlal Nehru, to do so.

PM Modi has represented Varanasi in the Lok Sabha since 2014, overseeing major infrastructure projects such as the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor and ghat redevelopment that have sought to build the city as a spiritual and cultural hub. PTI COR KIS APL APL MNK MNK