Uttarayan: Amit Shah visits temple in Ahmedabad, flies kites

Union Home Minister Amit Shahon Thursday celebrated the Uttarayan festival in Ahmedabad ina low-key manner in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Shah, who is on a visit to his hometown on theoccasion of the festival, offered prayers at the LordJagannath Temple here with his family members to mark the day.

Later in the day, he flew kites on terraces of housesof his relatives at two places in the city.

Shah, the Lok Sabha MP from Gandhinagar, started hisday by offering prayers at the temple along with his familymembers.

He performed an ''aarti'' and also worshipped a cow andan elephant at the temple as per tradition.

Tight security arrangements were made at the templeahead of his visit.

''On the auspicious occasion of Uttarayan, offeredprayers at the famous Shri Jagannath Temple in Ahmedabadtoday.

''May Lord Jagannath extend his blessings to all. JaiJagannath!'' Shah tweeted in Hindi.

Unlike in the past when Shah used to visit residencesof local BJP leaders to fly kites along with his supporters,the Union minister celebrated the festival this time with hisfamily members.

He visited the houses of his relatives and flewkites on terraces of buildings in the city's Thaltej andGhatlodia localities.

He was greeted by his supporters at both the placeswhere he stayed briefly.

Several Gujarat leaders kept the celebration low-keywith Chief Minister Vijay Rupani skipping flying kites in hishometown of Rajkot.

Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel preferred to markthe day by inaugurating a flyover and a newly-constructed roadbetween Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar.

The Gujarat government has banned flying kites in opengrounds or public areas.

The government has also prohibited loudspeakers andsound amplifier systems, and allowed only family members andresidents of housing societies on terraces to avoid largegatherings in view of the pandemic.

People across the state kept the celebrations simplein view of the COVID-19-related restrictions.

In many places, people flew kits on terraces of theirhouses in small groups and did not play loud music.

Long queues were seen at some places outside shopsselling traditional delicacies like 'Undhiyu', but peoplewere largely seen following social distancing norms.

The police kept a strict vigil to ensure peoplefollow the government's guidelines on COVID-19 prevention.

To prevent large gatherings, the police used dronecameras and binoculars to keep an eye on terraces of high-risebuildings and open grounds.

Patrolling was also intensified in some sensitiveareas of Ahmedabad, a police official said.

Makar Sankranti, a harvest festival, is celebrated asUttarayan in Gujarat. Kite flying, making delicacies with til(sesame seeds) and gur (jaggery), taking a holy bath in riversare part of Uttarayan festivities.

Makar Sankranti marks the end of the winter solsticemonth and beginning of longer days.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)