Just before embarking on her three-day-long boat ride on Ganga, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra offered prayers at Bade Hanuman temple in Prayagraj. She also prayed at the Triveni Sangam in the historic city known for its close association with the Nehru-Gandhi family.

Priyanka, who arrived in Prayagraj from Lucknow on Sunday evening, is scheduled to undertake a boat ride from Prayagraj’s Chhatnag to Assi Ghat in Varanasi, the parliamentary constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

On Monday, she will cover a 140-kilometre stretch of the Ganga river between the Prayagraj and Mirzapur districts. The ride will end on Wednesday, a day before Holi.

The ride, which is a part of the Congress’ Lok Sabha election campaign, is designed to help the general secretary of Uttar Pradesh East connect with the communities living by the river and seek their support.

Priyanka landed in Lucknow earlier on Sunday and met Congress workers and other groups till about 5 pm.

On Sunday evening, she tweeted a photo of a room of Swaraj Bhawan in Prayagraj where her grandmother, former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, was born.

The 19th century Swaraj Bhawan is the ancestral home owned by Priyanka’s great-great grandfather, Motilal Nehru.

“Sitting in the courtyard of Swaraj Bhawan, I can see the room where my grandmother was born. While putting me to sleep, she used to tell me stories of Joan of Arc. Even today her words reverberate in my heart – ‘Be fearless and everything will be alright’,” wrote Priyanka.

स्वराज भवन के आँगन में बैठे हुए वह कमरा दिख रहा है जहाँ मेरी दादी का जन्म हुआ। रात को सुलाते हुए दादी मुझे जोन ऑफ आर्क की कहानी सुनाया करती थीं। आज भी उनके शब्द दिल में गूँजते हैं। कहती थीं- निडर बनो और सब अच्छा होगा। pic.twitter.com/q8Ecdb2RsL

— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) March 17, 2019

Joan of Arc was a peasant girl from medieval France who believed God chose her to lead France to victory in its Hundred Years War with England. She succeeded and is honoured as the Maid of Orleans.

Priyanka was appointed the eastern in-charge of Uttar Pradesh on 23 January by her brother, party chief Rahul Gandhi.