Prime Minister Narendra Modi also posted pictures of lighting diya (Photo Credit: Twitter)
New Delhi:
India 'switched off the lights' as part of an unique initiative to show solidarity against the ongoinng COVID-19 pandemic. Millions of Indians across the country lit diyas, candles and flashed torches at '9 pm for 9 minutes' on Sunday. Adhering to Modi's appeal, people also switched off the bulbs in their homes. As the clock struck 9pm, lights went out in most houses and people gathered in balconies, flashing mobile lights while a few of them lit candles and diyas. People stood in their balconies and at entrance doors in unison. There were bhajans and sounds of 'conch' beingblownas well, However, some people were even bursting 'patakhas'.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also posted pictures of his lighting diya while clad in while vesti and kurta.
शà¥ÂÂÂà¤à¤‚ करोति कलà¥ÂÂÂयाणमारोगà¥ÂÂÂयं धनसंपदा ।
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 5, 2020
शतà¥ÂÂÂरà¥ÂÂÂबà¥ÂÂÂदà¥ÂÂÂधिविनाशाय दीपजà¥ÂÂÂयोतिरà¥ÂÂÂनमोऽसà¥ÂÂÂतà¥ÂÂÂते ॥ pic.twitter.com/4DeiMsCN11
Ghaziabad: People light up candles following the call of PM Modi to switch off all the lights of houses today at 9 PM for 9 minutes, and just light a candle, 'diya', or mobile's flashlight, to mark India's fight against #Coronavirus. pic.twitter.com/oN9qMk9CaF
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) April 5, 2020
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had urged the nation to turn off lights for 9 minutes on Sunday and lit diyas, candles or mobile flashlights with an aim to bring the entire nation together in fight against the novel coronavirus outbreak, PM Modi, who addressed the nation on Thursday, appealed to every Indian: "On April 5, Sunday, at 9 pm, I want 9 minutes from all of you. Turn off all the lights in your homes, stand at your doors or balconies and light candles, diya (lamp) or mobile flashlights for 9 minutes."
"No one is alone during the lockdown, the collective superpower of 130 crore Indians is with every citizen," he added.
On March 24, Modi announced a 21-day lockdown across the country from March 25 to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, asserting that social distancing was the only way to deal with the deadly virus. (With Agency Inputs)
