Varanasi, Feb 23: Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the 647th birth anniversary celebrations of Sant Guru Ravidas in Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi on Friday.

PM Modi offered a floral tribute to Sant Guru Ravidas during the event.

During the occasion, the Prime Minister unveiled a statue of Sant Ravidas at Varanasi today. Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath was also present.

Devotees in large numbers were pictured offering prayers at Sant Guru Ravidas Janmasthali in Varanasi earlier in the day ahead of the Prime Minister's visit.

Guru Sant Ravidas was a great Saint, philosopher, poet, social reformer, and follower of God in India during the 15th century.

He was one of the most famous and leading stars of the nirguna sampradaya (sant parampara) and was one of the prominent leaders of the North Indian Bhakti movement.

He also worked against the system of untouchability in society by the higher caste people for lower caste people.
Earlier in the day, PM Modi distributed prizes to winners of Sansad Sanskrit Pratiyogita at BHU in Varanasi.
The Prime Minister also launched two books on Kashi during the occasion.

PM Modi is scheduled to visit Banas Kashi Sankul, a milk processing unit of Banaskantha District Cooperative Milk Producers Union Ltd built at UPSIDA Agro Park, Karkhiyaon, Varanasi later in the day.

After this, he will address a public function where the Prime Minister will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of multiple development projects worth more than Rs 13,000 crore in Varanasi.

The Prime Minister will also inaugurate several projects related to tourism and spiritual tourism in Varanasi. These projects include ten spiritual journeys along the Panchkoshi Parikrama Marg and the redevelopment of public facilities at five stops on the Pavan Path.

23 schemes worth Rs 10,972 crore are to be launched and the foundation stone for 12 schemes worth Rs 2195.07 crore will be laid by the Prime Minister.

(ANI)

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