How Modi Inaugurated New Parliament Building

Amid chanting of Vedic hymns followed by interfaith prayers, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday inaugurated the new Parliament House even as 20 opposition parties turned away from the historic event. The Prime Minister described the ceremony as an “eternal” moment that marks the dawn of a self-reliant and advanced India that will inspire the progress of other nations.

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the center stuck to its determination to go ahead with the grand ceremony, which culminated in Prime Minister Modi prostrating himself before the ‘Singol’ mace, the ceremonial mace whose traditions trace back to the Chola dynasty in the third century BC. The chief priests of the 21 adhinams of Tamil Nadu consecrated the ‘Sengol’ and handed it over to the Chief Minister, who carried it in ceremonial procession to the new premises and erected it on the right side of the Lok Sabha chair, to applause and cheers of ‘Modi, Modi’.

While medal-winning wrestlers protested sexual harassment abroad and were detained by police, Prime Minister Modi said the new parliament reflected the aspirations and determination of India, the “mother of democracy”. The future… the path of empowerment of the poor, Dalits, Rajwains, Kabyles, Diviangs, and other marginalized sections runs through here, adding, “Every brick and wall of this parliament building should be dedicated to the welfare of the poor.”

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi criticized the “self-serving” nature of the inauguration, saying the prime minister had treated the event as if it were his “crowning”. Despite a boycott by opposition parties to sideline President Draupadi Mormo, nearly 25 political parties attended the event amid tight security arrangements. In her speech later, Mormo expressed her deep satisfaction at the inauguration of Prime Minister Modi who, she said, symbolized the confidence of Parliament.

Surrounded by peacock motifs in the Lok Sabha during his first speech, Modi spoke of getting rid of the “slave mentality” that had crept into the country after hundreds of years of slavery. Independence in 2047 – to the similar time gap between Mahatma Gandhi’s non-cooperative movement that ended in 1922 and the country’s freedom.

“The new Parliament is a reflection of the aspirations and dreams of 140 crore Indians. This is the temple of our democracy that gives a message of India’s design to the world. There are few moments in the history of every nation that are timeless. Some dates become an indelible signature on the face of time. May 28, 2023 is one of these days “.

Here’s everything you need to know about the detailed inauguration ceremony of the new Sansad Bhawan, which is equipped with state-of-the-art technology and ample seating for parliamentarians:

Havan, Multi-Faith Prayer, Syngol Installation

The inauguration began with an early morning interfaith prayer ceremony and installation of Sengol in a private enclosure in the Lok Sabha room. Modi, dressed in a dhoti and crisp kurta for religious ceremonies, performed Ganapati Hammam As part of Vastu Puja rituals. Prayers of all religions along with the spiritual strains of Shaivite chants from the sacred text Thevaram set the tone for the ceremonial rituals. Vastu pooja was ceremonially performed by priests from Sringeri Math of Karnataka.

A new building was completed in record time, and many works of art and traditions are imbued with it

The old Parliament House took six years to build, but the new one – spread over a built-up area of ​​64,500 square meters – was ready in a record time of two and a half years. The Lok Sabha has 888 seats, which can accommodate 1,272 members during a joint session of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. The Chamber of Deputies has 384 seats. It also has six new committee rooms and 92 rooms for use as cabinet offices.

There are many artworks installed inside the new building. Public entrances lead to three galleries – the ‘Sanget’ gallery, which showcases the dance, song and musical traditions of India; ‘Sthapthya’ gallery, which depicts the architectural heritage of the country; and the “Shelp” exhibition, which showcases the distinct handicraft traditions of different countries.

The building contains nearly 5,000 works of art, including paintings, frescoes, stone carvings, and metal murals. The interior is decorated with peacock motifs on the carpets, ceiling and window lattice work in the Lok Sabha, while the Rajya Sabha is decorated with lotus motifs.