"Ganga Flows Through Soul Of Bengal": PM Modi's Boat Ride On Hooghly River

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday spent time on the banks of the Hooghly river in Kolkata amid the ongoing Assembly elections in West Bengal and reiterated his commitment to the development and prosperity of the people of the state.

The Prime Minister shared pictures from his visit on social media platform X, describing the Hooghly as linked to West Bengal's culture. He said the Ganga holds a special place in the lives of Bengalis and that its waters carry the spirit of an ancient civilisation.

"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, the Prime Minister also interacted with boatmen and morning walkers along the river. He praised the hardworking nature of the boatmen and said the interaction gave him another 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.

For every Bengali, the Ganga occupies a very special place. One can say that the Ganga flows through the soul of Bengal. Her divine waters carry the timeless spirit of an entire civilisation.

This morning in Kolkata, I spent some time on the banks of the Hooghly river, an… pic.twitter.com/I3Y0gsFl3E

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 24, 2026

Some more glimpses from Kolkata. Indeed a very special morning at the Hooghly river. pic.twitter.com/D8Wwzy3KsX

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 24, 2026

In another post, PM Modi shared more pictures from the visit, saying he tried his hand at photographing the river. He also noted getting a close view of the iconic Vidyasagar Setu and Howrah Bridge, calling it a "very special morning" on the banks of the Hooghly.

"Some more glimpses from the banks of the Hooghly. Tried my hand at photographing this great river. Also caught a close glimpse of the Vidyasagar Setu and Howrah Bridge," PM Modi said.

Last evening, was on the Howrah Bridge during the long roadshow from Howrah to Kolkata. And this morning, saw it from the Hooghly river! pic.twitter.com/ri2MA1WbR8

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 24, 2026

The Prime Minister's visit comes as the state goes through the Assembly election process. Following the first phase, PM Modi has begun campaigning for the next round of polls. At the Krishnanagar rally, PM Modi said, "I have heard that even 'jhalmuri' has given certain individuals a thunderous jolt. I had 'jhalmuri', but it seems that the TMC leaders are feeling heat of the chillies." Replying to the PM, Banerjee said "we are used to jhalmuri's spiciness."

The first phase of polling for the 294-member West Bengal Assembly took place on Thursday, while the second phase is scheduled for April 29. The counting of votes will be held on May 4.

According to the Election Commission of India, West Bengal recorded a high voter turnout of 91.91% in the first phase. The figures indicate active participation by voters amid tight security arrangements across constituencies.

Several districts recorded turnout above 90%. Dakshin Dinajpur reported the highest turnout at 94.85%, followed by Cooch Behar at 94.54%, Birbhum at 93.70%, Jalpaiguri at 93.23%, and Murshidabad at 92.93%. Overall, all major districts crossed the 90% mark, reflecting strong voter participation in the opening phase of polling.