‘Ganga Flows Through Soul Of Bengal’: PM Modi Enjoys Boat Ride On Hooghly | Watch

Last Updated:April 24, 2026, 15:05 IST

PM Modi's river visit followed a roadshow held a day earlier from Howrah to Kolkata, as he continues campaigning in the state.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday shared a video on X (formerly Twitter) where he was seen spending time on the banks of the river Hooghly in Kolkata amid the ongoing Assembly elections in West Bengal.

He reiterated his commitment to the development and prosperity of the people of the state.

In the visuals shared by the Prime Minister, he is seen seated on a wooden boat with a camera in hand, with the Vidyasagar Setu visible in the background.

He took the opportunity to practice his photography skills, focusing on the foggy river landscape. In the background, large cargo ships could be seen moving through the water, adding to the scenic views of the busy river.

PM Modi called the river “Maa Ganga" and said he was happy to spend time on its banks. He spoke about how important the Ganga (Hooghly) is to the people of West Bengal. He said the river is like the “soul of Bengal" and carries the spirit of Indian civilisation, and expressed great respect for the water that millions of people consider sacred.

“For every Bengali, the Ganga occupies a very special place. One can say that the Ganga flows through the soul of Bengal," PM Modi wrote. He said he spent time on the banks of the Hooghly to express his gratitude to Maa Ganga.

During the visit, PM Modi also interacted with boatmen and morning walkers along the river. He praised the hardworking nature of the boatmen and said the interaction gave him opportunity to reaffirm the Centre’s commitment to West Bengal’s development.

“Also had the opportunity to meet boatmen, whose hardworking nature is admirable and morning walkers. On the Hooghly, reiterated our commitment to work towards the development of West Bengal and the prosperity of the great Bengali people," he said.

According to Mohammed Iftikhar Ahmed, one of the boat owners, the arrangements were made on very short notice. Speaking to ANI, he explained that someone from the ghat area approached him requesting seven boats, but did not initially reveal the purpose. “He said it was nothing major," Iftikhar noted, adding that only later did he learn that the Prime Minister would be arriving.

He recounted that Modi came to the ghat after a morning walk and boarded one of his boats. During the interaction, Iftikhar recalled PM Modi as saying, “We all should live together cordially".

PM Modi’s river visit followed a roadshow held a day earlier from Howrah to Kolkata, as he continues campaigning in the state ahead of the ongoing assembly elections.

The first phase of polling concluded on Thursday, with the next phase scheduled for April 29. Counting of votes is set to take place on May 4.

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