On his 150th anniversary, Patel’s statue anointed with sacred waters from 25 rivers, ‘Unity March’ led by Delhi CM

On the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the Iron Man of India, his statue at Patel Chowk here has been anointed with sacred water collected from 25 major rivers of the country.

On the occasion, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta personally offered the sacred water at the feet of Sardar Patel’s statue in the presence of Union Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita, MP Bansuri Swaraj, and Delhi’s Education Minister Ashish Sood.

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According to the CM , the ritual anointment was not merely a gesture of reverence, but a symbol of unity, integrity, and devotion, the very essence that Sardar Patel infused into the soul of India.

She noted that students from Delhi had collected water from the 25 sacred rivers, including the Jhelum, Brahmaputra, Narmada, and Godavari, representing India’s cultural diversity and spiritual unity. “India is not merely a piece of land, but a living national being whose consciousness flows through our rivers,” she said.

Following the ceremony, Rekha Gupta led the ‘Unity March’, which commenced at Patel Chowk and cuilminated at the National War Memorial. Students, NSS volunteers, My Bharat youth members, and teachers enthusiastically participated in the march.

On the occasion, the CM remarked that this was not just an event, but a living manifestation of the unity within India’s diversity, an ideal personified by Sardar Patel through his life’s work.

Under her leadership, the march turned Patel Chowk into a sea of tricolour flags, symbolising the strength, integrity, and pride of the nation. Every hand held the national flag aloft, every step echoed patriotic chants, a vivid reminder that though India is a land of diversity, its soul is eternally one.

Gupta said the 150th birth anniversary marked a historic occasion to honour the great statesman, who unified the nation and ushered in a new era of oneness and integrity.

She further said that it was Prime Minister Narendra Modi who, in 2014, began the tradition of celebrating Sardar Patel’s birth anniversary as National Unity Day, inspiring every Indian to draw strength from Patel’s ideals. She described the day as a historic reaffirmation of the vision of an integrated and strong India.

Education Minister Sood recalled that during the most trying times of Partition, when Delhi was in chaos and thousands of Hindu refugees stood homeless under the open sky, Patel had emerged as the city’s greatest guardian. He added that the resilience, diversity, and vitality we see in Delhi today are the results of Patel’s vision, the same vision that not only united princely states but also rebuilt lives.