New Parliament Building inaugurated New Delhi:Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the grand new Parliament building in Central Vistaon Sunday morning. Dressed in traditional attire, Modi walked into the Parliament premises from its Gate No. 1. He was welcomed by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla right outside the 'puja pandal' where the havan to multi-faith prayer including the inauguration of planks was held.
Vedic chants were done by high priests who came from Karnataka's Shringeri mutt. Modi performed the customary "Ganapati Homam" to invoke "Gods" to bless the inauguration of the new Parliament building.
After the havan, PM Modi went to the point where the "Sengol" was kept. He prostrated before the "Sengol"and accepted it from the Adheenam of Thiruvavaduthurai Saivite mutt. The PM sought blessings from head priests of various Adheenams from Tamil Nadu while holding the holy sceptre in hand. Modi then took out a procession carrying the "Sengol" while the high priests followed amid tunes of "nadaswaram" and Saivite chants to the new Parliament building. He installed it in a special enclosure on the right side of the Speaker's chair in the Lok Sabha chamber.
After he returned to the inauguration 'puja pandal', the PM unveiled three plaques marking the inauguration of the new Parliament building formally. The plaques read "the new building of parliament was dedicated to the nation by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the presence of Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla."
Addressing a function to inaugurate the new Parliament building, Modi said as India surges ahead, the new Parliament building will also contribute to the world's progress. The new Parliament building will be a testament to the dawn of Aatmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India). It will be a witness to our journey towards a Viksit Bharat (developed India), Modi said at the event attended by former president Ram Nath Kovind, Chief Ministers Y S Jagan Reddy, Yogi Adityanath, Eknath Shinde and Neiphu Rio, foreign envoys, Parliamentarians and people from different walks of life.
"As the new building of India’s Parliament is inaugurated, our hearts and minds are filled with pride, hope and promise. May this iconic building be a cradle of empowerment, igniting dreams and nurturing them into reality. May it propel our great nation to new heights of progress," PM Modi wrote on Twitter sharing a few pictures from the ceremony.
Union ministers Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah, S Jaishankar and Jitendra Singh, chief ministers of several states and BJP president J P Nadda were present on the occasion. The prime minister felicitated some of the workers who were part of the construction of the new Parliament of India.
According to the government, the new parliament building offers more space than the 1927 building. With carpets from Uttar Pradesh's Mirzapur, bamboo flooring from Tripura and stone carvings from Rajasthan, the new Parliament building houses and reflects India's diverse culture in every aspect. The interior of the new Parliament building is themed with lotus, peacock and banyan tree - three national symbols. The triangular-shaped four-storey parliament building has a total built-up area of 64,500 sqm.
Also read: PM Modi installs 'Sengol' in new Parliament building
