Meri Maati Mera Desh campaign: Team of Amrit Kalash Yatra from Uttarakhand reaches Delhi
Oct 29, 2023
New Delhi [India], October 29 : The team of Amrit Kalash Yatra from Uttarakhand under the 'Meri Maati Mera Desh' campaign arrived in Delhi on Sunday morning.
On this occasion, Local Commissioner Ajay Mishra, representatives of the Government of India, the Department of Culture and Office of the Local Commissioner, Government of Uttarakhand welcomed the team with formal puja.
In "Amrit Kalash Yatra", 192 volunteers from 95 development blocks and 101 municipal bodies of remote areas of Devbhoomi and 166 volunteers from Nehru Yuva Kendra will represent Uttarakhand.
This Kalash Yatra is being run across the country under the "Meri Maati Mera Desh" campaign with the aim of remembering the sacrifices of the immortal freedom fighters.
Under this yatra, the soil of the birthplace of freedom fighters is being taken in Amrit Kalash (earthen pots) to the National Martyrs Memorial in Delhi. Under the Amrit Kalash Yatra, 'Amrit Vatika' will be created near the National War Memorial by mixing soil and plants coming from 7500 urns from across the country.
It is noteworthy that last Saturday, in the presence of Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, state-level 'Amrit Kalash Yatra' was organized under the 'Meri Mati Mera Desh' program at Himalayan Culture Centre, Nimbuwala, Garhi Cantt.
The 'Meri Maati Mera Desh' campaign was celebrated in two phases.
The first phase included Shilaphalakams for freedom fighters and security forces, initiatives like the Panch Pran Pledge, Vasudha Vandan, and Veeron ka Vandan, honouring the sacrifices of bravehearts. In its first phase, the campaign became a massive success, with over 2.33 lakh Shilaphalakams built in 36 States and UTs, nearly 4 crore Panch Pran pledge selfies uploaded, and over 2 lakh Veeron ka Vandan programs nationwide. Additionally, more than 2.36 crore indigenous saplings have been planted, and 2.63 lakh Amrit Vatikas created under the Vasudha Vandan theme.
In the second phase of Meri Maati Mera Desh, Amrit Kalash Yatras were planned to touch every household in the country. Soil and rice grains were collected from over 6 lakh villages in rural areas and from wards in urban areas across India. Collected soil from each village was mixed at the block level and then brought to the state capital, and with a ceremonial send-off, sent to the national capital with thousands of Amrit Kalash Yatris.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the final event of the 'Meri Maati Mera Desh' campaign in the national capital on October 31, the Ministry of Culture said on Friday.
The event at Vijay Chowk will mark the culmination of the Meri Maati Mera Desh campaign's Amrit Kalash Yatra in which Amrit Kalash Yatris from 7000 blocks of 766 districts will be present.
It will also mark the wrap of the two-year-long campaign of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, which began on March 12, 2021, to celebrate 75 years of India's independence.
For the final event of Meri Maati Mera Desh, more than 20 thousand Amrit Kalash Yatris from 36 States and Union Territories are reaching the national capital on October 29, through various modes of transport like specially dedicated trains, buses, and local transport to take part in a two-day programme at Kartavya Path/Vijay Chowk on October 30 and 31.
