PM Modi reminisces about his mother while enjoying ‘Khiri’ with tribal family
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday shared a touching moment with a tribal family in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday, as he enjoyed a traditional dish called Khiri* (rice pudding) during the ‘Gruha Pravesh’ (housewarming) ceremony for beneficiaries of the PM Awas Yojana in Shabara Sahi, a village in the Gadakana area of Odisha’s capital.
The event coincided with the celebration of his 74th birthday.
The Khiri, prepared by Sadhabi Naik, daughter-in-law of Antaryami Naik, was served in an earthen pot, following the traditional Odia custom of preparing this sweet delicacy during housewarming ceremonies. Both Prime Minister Modi and Odisha chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi relished the homemade dish.
Sadhabi Naik and her family were overwhelmed with joy at hosting the Prime Minister and witnessing his appreciation for the Khiri they had lovingly prepared.
“Our family is overjoyed after PM Modi tasted the Khiri made by me. We requested him to try it as a birthday treat, and he gladly accepted. He even praised the dish, saying it was delicious,” shared an elated Sadhabi.
She added, “He was so kind, playing with my children and taking photographs with us. He asked if we were happy with our new pucca house under the PM Awas Yojana, and we expressed our gratitude.”
Later in the day, PM Modi fondly recalled this personal encounter during his speech at Janata Maidan, where he inaugurated the Odisha government’s much-hyped Subhadra Yojana.
“Before coming here, I visited a tribal family for their Gruha Pravesh celebration. My sister from that family (Sadhabi Naik) served me Khiri, and while I was eating it, I couldn’t help but think of my mother,” Modi said, his voice filled with emotion.
He continued, “When my mother was alive, I would visit her every year on my birthday to seek her blessings. She would always feed me ‘Gud’ (jaggery) by hand. Though she is no longer with me, today, my Adivasi sister blessed me with Khiri, and it felt as though my mother was with me once again.”
Another moment that captured the hearts of the villagers and millions of viewers across the country as they watched the Prime Minister humbly worship Lord Jagannath at the Naik family’s home, much like an ordinary man.
Following the housewarming ceremony, PM Modi interacted with other beneficiaries of the PM Awas Yojana, listening to their stories and experiences, and reaffirming the government's commitment to improving the living conditions of India's underprivileged communities.
