Kevadia: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to visit Gujarat once again after Diwali, on October 30-31. As every year, the Prime Minister is expected to preside over the Rashtriya Ekta Divas function at the Statue of Unity on the birth anniversary of the Iron Man of India, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

Apart from the celebrations, Prime Minister Modi is also expected to lay the foundation stone for the much-anticipated ‘Museum of Royal Kingdoms’ near the Statue of Unity. The museum is planned to come up on over 5 acres of land at an estimated cost of ₹267 crores and will showcase the contributions of princely states, highlighting the integration process led by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

During the visit, he will also dedicate new attractions at Ekta Nagar, including a new cycling track in the Statue of Unity (SOU) area, Veer Bal Udyan, and a Bonsai Park. In addition, the Narmada Ghat extension will also be inaugurated.

The museum will highlight the history of 562 princely states. It is worth noting that while dedicating the Statue of Unity, Prime Minister Modi had suggested building such a museum. In 2018, he had proposed creating a “virtual museum” near the Statue of Unity in memory of the erstwhile royals, who had “sacrificed” their princely states for the unity of India under Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

The museum will be located in Limdi village, Kevadia, with clear views of the Statue of Unity. It will feature around five galleries housing documents from princely families who contributed their estates. A state government committee formed in 2021 visited various states and consulted current royal families to plan the museum. Royal families from Delhi, Vadodara, Rajkot, and other states were consulted to ensure the museum reflects the vision of the Kshatriya community.

The museum will be open to the public and is expected to be completed by 2027, within the next two years. DeshGujarat