Gandhinagar (Gujarat) [India], November 7 : Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel visited Adyashakti Dham in Ambaji and offered prayers to Goddess Amba for the peace and prosperity of the state.
He later flagged off the Janjatiya Gaurav Yatra, organised as part of the 150th birth anniversary celebrations of Bhagwan Birsa Munda. Speaker of the Legislative Assembly Shankar Chaudhary, Minister of State Pravin Mali, and other dignitaries were also present on the occasion.
Earlier, to mark the 150th anniversary of the song 'Vande Mataram', a collective rendition of the song and a mass pledge to adopt Swadeshi (the use of indigenous products) were held in the premises of the Gujarat Legislative Assembly under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel.
Speaker Shankar Chaudhary and Minister of State Kantibhai Amrutiya were present at the event.
According to an official release, on this occasion, the Chief Minister underscored the significance of the Vande Mataram, noting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has described it as the guiding force of a resolute national life, and the heartbeat of India's freedom.
The 150th anniversary of the national song, Vande Mataram, written in 1875, is being celebrated across the nation under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The celebration has rekindled the spirit of "Nation First" among 140 crore Indians, the release said.
Chief Minister said that Prime Minister Modi embodies the essence of the words "Tvam hi pranah sharire" from the song Vande Mataram--living every breath in devotion to Maa Bharati and setting an exemplary ideal for the entire nation. The Prime Minister has described Vande Mataram as the pride, dignity, and glory of India.
Chief Minister Patel stated that PM Modi has actualised the vision of Maa Bharati depicted in the song Vande Mataram through concrete initiatives aimed at realising every aspect of a prosperous and bountiful nation -- Sujalam, Sufalam. He further added that initiatives such as Panchamrut Shakti, Kanya Kelavani and welfare measures for the poor and underprivileged, launched in Gujarat, embody the true essence of Vande Mataram -- the spirit of inclusive growth, well-being, and prosperity for all.
He stated that the song was first introduced by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay in his novel Anandamath, and when Rabindranath Tagore sang it for the first time, it stirred a deep and electrifying emotion among the people of the nation. Vande Mataram is not just a song -- it is the voice of India's soul, a sacred song of patriotism that inspires boundless energy, devotion, and determination in the heart of every Indian.