As India welcomed the New Year with prayers and hopes, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday extended greetings on the occasion and wished people prosperity, peace, wonderful health.
In a post on X, PM Modi said, "Wishing everyone a splendid 2024! May this year bring forth prosperity, peace and wonderful health for all."
In his Mann Ki Baat radio broadcast on Sunday, the PM urged the countrymen to maintain the spirit of self-reliance in 2024 as well. Asserting that India is brimming with self-confidence, PM Modi said in his radio address on Sunday the country is imbued with the spirit of 'Viksit Bharat' and self-reliance, and urged people to maintain the momentum in 2024 as well.
Advertisement
In the 108th episode of Mann Ki Baat radio broadcast, Prime Minister Modi also emphasised on physical and mental health and highlighted several unique efforts for 'Fit India'.
Meanwhile, scores of people across the country headed out to offer prayers on the first day of the year. India celebrated a New Year's Eve amid tightened security at key hubs across cities and a Covid scare as well.
Here's How India Brough In The New Year:
-Prayers Across Cities: From Varanasi's Ghats to Gujarat's Somnath temple, people across the country were seen offering prayers early morning on the first day of the new year, 2024.
Advertisement
Kamakhya temple in Assam, Tiruttani Arulmigu Subramanyaswamy temple and Meenakshi Amman temple in Tamil Nadu, Somnath temple in Gujarat were thronged by visitors who queued up to offer prayers.
People were seen taking a dip in Saryu river in Ayodhya also, while early morning Ganga Aarti took place in Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi.
Srinagar's Iconic Lal Chowk Sees Hundreds of Tourists: Amid sub-zero temperatures, hundreds of locals and tourists visited the the iconic Ghanta Ghar at Lal Chowk on New Year's eve in Srinagar.
Locals said it is for the first time in many years that a New Year party is happening at a public place in Srinagar.
As the Sun set over 2023 for the last time, the refurbished Ghanta Ghar square started to come alive with New Year celebrations. While assemblies at Ghanta Ghar prior to 2019 were mostly protests or secessionist in nature, Sunday's gathering was different.
"This is for the first time we are having a New Year party in a public place. We used to have such parties earlier as well but those were limited to the elite class and organised behind closed doors of hotels," newa agency quoted PTI Aqib Ahmad as saying. Aqib is a 22-year-old city resident, said as he swerved to the tunes of songs played from the stage set up at Lal Chowk.
Advertisement
Until a few years ago, it was unthinkable to have a New Year party in a public place but things have changed now, he said.
Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru Welcome New Year With A Bang: Thousands of people headed out for New Year celebrations in Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru and all across the country, while scores of others celebrated indoors.
Mumbaikars gathered at the Gateway of India, Marine Drive, Girgaum Chowpatty and other places on Sunday night to ring in Year 2024 amid tight security arrangements. Many chose to visit religious places, including the famous Siddhivinayak and Mumbadevi temples, and churches.
In Delhi, more than 10,000 police personnel were deployed on the ground to keep law and order and traffic in check as people stepped out to bring in the new year. Popular hubs like Connaught Place, Saket's Select City Walk were buzzing with hundreds of people gathered to party it out on New Year's eve.
Advertisement
In anticipation of high footfall at popular locations, the fire department in Delhi had implemented strategic measures to handle any emergency. These locations included: Ansal Plaza, Lajpat Nagar, Connaught Place, Palika Bazar, Gandhi Nagar Market, Pacific Mall, Rani Bagh Market, Chhatarpur, Majnu Ka Tila, Hauz Khas village market, Guru Hanuman Marg, Aero City Mukherjee Nagar, Kalka Ji temple, Prachin Hanuman temple and some other area.
Traffic advisories were also issued in Karnataka's Bengaluru, which also saw a high foothfall of people at popular hubs. Bengaluru police were geared up to closely monitor celebrations in areas like MG Road, Brigade Road, Koramangala and Indiranagar where huge crowds flocked on New Year nights.
