PM Modi's presence in Bihu event latest in his participation in various festivals

With Prime Minister Narendra Modi participating in Bihu celebrations in Assam on Friday a day after attending a Tamil new year event, his presence at different festivals associated with India's cultural and regional diversity over the years has been a constant.

Government sources noted he had visited Delhi's Sacred Heart Cathedral Church on the occasion of Easter last Sunday and had attended Ugadi celebrations hosted by former vice president M Venkaiah Naidu last month.

Modi had inaugurated the 'Barisu Kannada Dim Dimava' cultural festival in New Delhi in February and had participated in the birth anniversary celebrations of Shri Guru Nanak Dev at the residence of National Commission for Minorities chairperson Iqbal Singh Lalpura in November last.

In the same month, Modi also addressed the Manipur Sangai Festival via video message, they noted.

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He had last year participated in the Kullu Dussehra celebrations at the Dhalpur Ground of Kullu, Himachal Pradesh, in Navratri Festival celebrations in Ahmedabad and Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations at Union Minister Piyush Goyal's residence.

Officials noted that Modi had offered prayers at the Mahaprinirvana Stupa at Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh, on the occasion of Buddha Purnima and also made an official visit to Lumbini, Nepal (birthplace of Buddha), coinciding with the auspicious occasion last year.

He had visited Sri Guru Ravidas Vishram Dham Temple in Delhi on Ravidas Jayanti and had attended Bihu celebrations organised by Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal at his residence in Delhi last year as well.

They noted that Modi had participated in 'Dev Deepawali Mahotsav' in Varanasi and had earlier attended a 'Makar Sankranti' event at then Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan's residence.