Ahead of PM Modi's birthday, BJP worker in Pune showcases his portrait using grains, millets

File photo for representation. PTI

Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's birthday on September 17, a Bharatiya Janata Party worker in Pune is showcasing PM's portrait using grains and millets.

The worker, Kishor Tarwade said, "The size of the portrait is 10X18 feet and it has been created using around 60 kg of grains like wheat, lentils and millets (Jawar, Raagi). The portrait will be kept for display from September 16 to September 18 for visitors at the Budhwar Peth area of Pune city in Kalika Mata Mandir Bhavan. No fee would be charged to have a look out at the display."

The portrait has been created by artist Ganesh Khare and his team in 18 hours.

Kishor Tarwade said, "Wheat, til, masoor daal, hari moong daal, jawar raagi, toor daal, and sarso have been used to make the portrait."

Prime Minister Modi is going to celebrate his 73rd birthday on September 17. He was born in 1950.

Meanwhile, as the Ganesh Chaturthi festival is approaching, a Ganesh pandal themed on Ayodhya's Ram Mandir is being constructed in Pune by the Shreemant Dagdusheth Halwai Sarvajanik Ganpati Trust.

Also read: Ganesh Chaturthi: Ram Mandir themed pandal to be installed by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat in Pune

The organisers said that they have been working on the pandal for the past two months and it will be ready in a day or two.

The installation of the idol of Lord Ganesh in the Pandal is going to be done by the chief of RSS, Mohan Bhagwat, an organising committee official said.

The organisers said that they chose the Ram Mandir theme to give people a glimpse of what the temple would look like when it opens in January 2024 in Ayodhya.

"We have tried to replicate the design of the Ram Mandir, where Lord Ram is going to be seated, along with the ten avatars on the side. We are also building a Ram Setu from where people will enter. There will be fifteen to twenty statues of Lord Hanuman holding a stone in their hands," said an official from the organising committee.

The official added that every year, around two crore people visit their pandal, but this year they expect around five crore visitors.

"We have invited Uttar Pradesh's Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, and he has assured them that he will definitely come," the organising committee official said.

This year the Ganesh Chaturthi festival will begin on September 19 and will continue for ten days until September 29. (Agencies)