Around 2021-22; archaeologists found evidence of human settlement in Vadnagar town perhaps in the time space -- 4th century-3rd century Before Christian Era (BCE).
Vadnagar town in Gujarat knows how to make news. Well, on Sept 17,1950 -- in this township was born a man called Narendra Damodardas Modi.
But the township has a rich historical legacy also. According to a Gujarat government spokesman, the hometown of Narendra Modi also finds mention in the Puranas as a thriving hub.
This ancient town was also visited by a 7th century Chinese traveler named Hiuen Tsang, who wrote about the township in his travelogue 1400 years ago.
Vadnagar, PM Narendra Modi's birthplace, celebrates his 75th birthday with a 15-day campaign featuring welfare activities and highlighting the town's rich history.
A vacant plot in Vadnagar where the PM’s childhood home was situated (HT PHOTO)
Vadnagar, a town with a population of around 40,000, is one of Gujarat’s oldest settlements, with evidence of continuous habitation for over 2,500 years.
In recent years, archaeological excavations have revealed remains from the Mauryan and Buddhist periods. The town hosts the Vadnagar Archaeological Experiential Museum, a civil hospital, schools and colleges.
May 18th is celebrated across the world as the International Museum Day.
On this occasion in 2022, the Gujarat government announced mega plans to turn the historic city of Vadnagar into a world-class heritage tourism destination.
Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel inaugurated the Vadnagar International Conference at the Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar in collaboration with the Union Ministry of Cultural Affairs, Gujarat government's Sports, Youth and Cultural Activities Department and the Directorate of Museums.
In his speech Chief Minister Patel said that Vadnagar is one of the oldest towns consisting of continuous human settlements since the 3rd and 4th centuries.
In the narrow lanes of Ghanchi Pol at Lala Levani Sheri, where Modi spent his early years, memories of the PM remain alive. Sakriba Patel, 97, who lives next to what was once the Modi family home, recalled Modi’s late mother, Hiraben.
The original house no longer exists, leaving a vacant plot where some vegetation has grown due to the monsoon.
“Hiraba used to help her husband. Many times, she would leave the little child Narendra with me. He was very playful. He must have been hardly five then,” she said.
She remembers that Modi was close to her nephew Chandubhai and after his son’s wedding in Gandhinagar, he visited him when he was the CM.
The Union government’s Prerna School initiative has restored the building where Modi received his primary education. Under this programme, students from across India visit the school to engage in experiential learning and connect with the PM’s early life and the town’s heritage.
A blood donation drive, puja at the Hatkeshwar temple, an eye donation camp and a sukhadi cutting have been planned to celebrate Modi’s birthday by the local Bharatiya Janata Party unit. Sukhadi, a traditional sweet made with wheat flour, ghee and jaggery, will be distributed among locals in place of a birthday cake.
For Vadnagar residents, Modi’s rise continues to be a matter of pride.
Narsinhbhai Prajapati, a 59-year-old electrician who lives in the same lane, linked Vadnagar’s history to Modi’s rise, says a report in 'Hindustan Times' by my friend Maulik Pathak.
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