Rajinikanth, Nayanthara, Mammooty & Tamannaah Join Millions of Indians Who Lit Up at 9pm Last Night

Millions of Indians turned off their lights and lit up balconies and doorsteps with lamps, candles and flashlights on Sunday, in response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal to “challenge the darkness” spread by the coronavirus crisis.

This included celebrities from all over the nation, who didn’t shy away from posting images of themselves lighting up on social media.

Modi, who imposed a three-week long nationwide lockdown on March 25, asked all citizens to turn out their lights for nine minutes at 9 p.m. local time on Sunday, and to display lamps and candles in a show of solidarity.

The Prime Minister individually thanked several citizens including celebrities for extending support to his call for a nine-minute lights out.

Thank you, @mammukka. A heartfelt call for unity and brotherhood like yours is what our nation needs in the fight against COVID-19. #9pm9minute https://t.co/hjGjAwPvsZ
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 5, 2020

Other celebrities also showed their support by lighting a lamp as the clock turned 9.

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The Nation stands strong and together. This too shall pass.. WE will over come .
A post shared by R. Madhavan (@actormaddy) on Apr 5, 2020 at 9:12am PDT

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#9baje9minute .. we did it.. Hope you did too. Sending everyone, love , light and gratitude. Thankyou @narendramodi ji for suggesting this gesture and lighting up our lives with positivity and strength 🇮🇳🙏🧿 We will overcome this…. Together🌈💪 #proudindian #grace #strength #positivity #together #everythingwillbealright #standtogether
A post shared by Shilpa Shetty Kundra (@theshilpashetty) on Apr 5, 2020 at 9:05am PDT

In Tamil Nadu, people lit up the traditional ‘Kamakshi lamps’ and ‘Kuthuvilakku’, besides the earthen lamps.

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Let there be light ! Standing in solidarity, unity and brotherhood ! Together, we shall over come !
A post shared by Dulquer Salmaan (@dqsalmaan) on Apr 5, 2020 at 8:51am PDT

The terraces of several buildings were lined up with endless rows of earthen lamps which was nothing short of a visual treat

The wound is the place where the light enters you 🌏
-Rumi
Lighting the feeling of hope, positivity and strength with my family. We are all in this together!
#IndiaFightsCorona #9pm9minutes #StayHomeStaySafe #Heal pic.twitter.com/xaJMIFBn2B
— Tamannaah Bhatia (@tamannaahspeaks) April 5, 2020

Also, Deputy Chief Minister K Pannerselvam, Tamil Nadu Ministers including S P Velumani and K Pandiarajan lit lamps in their respective residences here.

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So scientifically speaking … with so much of fire & light the atmospheric temperature would have increased by a few degrees and we would have successfully killed some members of the corona virus 🦠 family ! #IsThatAFact ??? 🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️🧐🧐🧐🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔 #wikkiclicks📷 #nofilter #candles #candlelight #photography #photo #shotoniphone #nayanthara
A post shared by Vignesh Shivan (@wikkiofficial) on Apr 5, 2020 at 9:24am PDT

Superstar Rajinikanth was among the celebrities who joined the symbolic event against the contagion and he held a candle in his Poes Garden residence.

#StayHomeStaySafe #Solidarity #Unity #IndiaFightsCoronavirus 🙏🏻 pic.twitter.com/4LSSsfpVFa
— Rajinikanth (@rajinikanth) April 5, 2020

Others lit firecrackers, played musical instruments, and sang patriotic songs. Grid data showed India’s national power consumption plunging more than a quarter in a matter of minutes. The show of unity came as the total number of coronavirus cases in India increased to 3,577, while the death toll rose to 83.