New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday while inaugurating the new Parliament Building here bowed down before the historic 'Sengol' amid Vedic rituals and then placed it the near Lok Sabha Speaker's chair.
He also attended the 'Sarva Dharma (all-religious)' prayer at the ceremony. PM Modi, who arrived at the Parliament premises early in the day first participated in the 'puja' and 'havan' along with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. After performing the puja amid Vedic chants, PM Modi bowed down before the 'Sengol' as a mark of respect and also to mark the beginning of the inauguration of the new Parliament building. The Adheenam seers from different Mutts of Tamil Nadu then handed over the 'Sengol' to the Prime Minister to carry it inside the Lok Sabha.
The Prime MInister along with the Lok Sabha speaker then installed the 'Sengol' (spectre) on the right side of the Speaker's chair in the new Parliament Building. He also received blessings from seers of different Adheenams from Tamil Nadu after the installation.
The Prime Minister then along with Birla and several other dignitaries attended the 'Sarva dharma' prayers at the ceremony. Religious leaders of several religions, including Buddhist, Christian, Jain, Parsi, Muslim, Sikh, and Sanatan offered their prayers.
The Prime Minister also felicitated the workers, who helped in the building and development of the new Parliament House by giving them shawls and a momento. The inaugural ceremony began with an early morning havan after Modi dressed in traditional attire arrived at the Parliament premises from Gate No. 1 and was received by Birla. Representatives of 25 political parties and many dignitaries, including chief ministers and ministers, were in attendance for the inauguration. Twenty opposition parties, including the Congress, boycotted the inauguration of the new four-storey Parliament House.
—IANS