Morning: Yoga, Sapling Drives and Community Action
Day 5 began with a yoga session at Aurobindo Ashram followed by the “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam” plantation drive, led by Union Ministers and local MPs. The plantation initiative, involving community members and volunteers, aimed to underscore collective responsibility for the environment.
The padyatra route included key city landmarks Navlakhi Ground, Khanderao Market, Kirti Stambh, FTE College areas, Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan, Makarpura Bus Point and other neighbourhoods before culminating at Trimandir, Varnama. Citizens joined the march and local volunteers conducted Swachhata activities along the entire stretch.
Collective Listening: Mann Ki Baat Inspires Participants
A highlight of the day was the collective listening to Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s ‘Mann Ki Baat’, during which he emphasised fitness, discipline and community wellbeing themes that resonated with the padyatra’s focus on civic duty and unity. Participants remarked that the address added momentum to the march’s message.
Sardar Gatha and Exhibitions
The Sardar Gatha exhibition at Jambuva – IDEAL School presented “Sardar & Labour Union – Voice of the Workers,” highlighting Sardar Patel’s role in consolidating administrative institutions and labour organisation. The curated displays and talks sought to connect Patel’s ideas with contemporary themes of unity and worker rights.
Leaders’ Messages: Unity, Inspiration and Progress
Former Vice-President Shri Venkaiah Naidu and Union Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya addressed padyatris and citizens. Dr. Mandaviya described Sardar Patel as his personal inspiration and reiterated the march’s links to Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat, while Shri Naidu praised India’s decade of progress, remarking on the government’s vision expressed in the phrase “MODI Making Of Developed India.”
Gram Sabha & Cultural Evenings
The day concluded at Trimandir, Varnama, with a Gram Sabha and cultural performances including a Nritya Natika and Dayro that depicted episodes from Sardar Patel’s life. The evening programme drew local families and youth, reinforcing the padyatra’s grassroots reach.
What the Padyatra Aims to Achieve
Organisers say the 11-day Rashtriya Ekta Padyatra, which began from Karamsad and will culminate at the Statue of Unity, intends to promote national unity, civic responsibility, and public engagement through 150 thematic stops and community events across Gujarat. The march mixes cultural outreach with civic action such as plantation and cleanliness drives.