Statue Of Unity, Cactus Garden And Butterflies: PM Modi's 'Au Naturel' Safari On Birthday

On his 69th birthday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is visiting his home state Gujarat. He began the day with a trip to Sardar Sarovar Dam located in Kevadia. Giving a glimpse into what’s in store, PM Modi shared a small clip of the Statue of Liberty on Twitter. “Reached Kevadia a short while ago. Have a look at the majestic ‘Statue of Unity’, India’s tribute to the great Sardar Patel,” he tweeted in morning. A nature lover, PM Modi is known for taking special interest in eco-friendly projects. In Kevadia, PM Modi’s birthday celebrations also included a safari, a visit to a cactus and butterfly gardens.

Reached Kevadia a short while ago.

Have a look at the majestic ‘Statue of Unity’, India’s tribute to the great Sardar Patel. pic.twitter.com/B8ciNFr4p7

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 17, 2019

Visiting the cactus garden in Kevadia, PM Modi was seen keenly observing the plants. “We must keep taking people’s feedback to further improve the garden and make it more popular,” PM Modi said. Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and Governor Acharya Devvrat also accompanied the Prime Minister. Later, PM Modi visited the Ekta Nursery, which is situated in the vicinity of the Statue of Unity. The nursery manufactures various traditional eco-friendly products and offers a live demonstration of their manufacturing process to the visitors. PM Modi’s visit is also seen as an attempt to bring back focus to further improve the local environment and enhance tourist facilities in Kevadia.

At Kevadia there is a unique Cactus Garden, which PM @narendramodi is visiting.

Don’t miss the Sardar Sarovar Dam in the background! pic.twitter.com/rmi8IIFCPy

— PMO India (@PMOIndia) September 17, 2019

But probably the best moment was when the Prime Minister set free hundreds of butterflies. Visiting the butterfly garden, PM Modi was seen setting free the butterflies. A smile on his face was unmissable. The Prime Minister’s Office also shared a beautiful clip of folk dancers at the Ekta Nursery.

#VIDEO | Prime Minister @narendramodi at the Butterfly Garden in Kevadiya, Gujarat.#HappyBdayPMModi

📸: ANIhttps://t.co/iOuplE9LW0 pic.twitter.com/pn5KuwoR61

— News Nation (@NewsNationTV) September 17, 2019

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had unveiled the ‘Statue of Unity’, a 182-metre giant structure built in honour of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, near the Sardar Sarovar Dam in Gujarat’s Narmada district last year on October 31st. Touted as the world's tallest, the statue is twice the height of Statue of Liberty and is built on an islet, Sadhu Bet.

The statue has been built using over 70,000 tonnes of cement, 18,500 tonnes of reinforcement steel, 6,000 tonnes of structural steel and 1,700 metric tonnes of bronze, which was used for the outer cladding of the structure.