New Parliament building finally inaugurated by PM Modi:

Post Pooja, Sengol Ceremony, PM Narendra Modi inaugurated the new Parliament building on 28th May 2023, Sunday. The country’s new Parliament building was constructed by Tata Projects Ltd. The triangular-shaped building has a built–up area of 64,500 square meters and it houses inside a grand constitutional hall to showcase India’s democratic heritage, a lounge for MPs, multiple committee rooms, a library, and dining areas with ample parking slots; as per The Economic Times.

With the holy sceptre in hand, PM Narendra Modi received blessings from high priests of various “adheenams” in Tamil Nadu. Additionally, he added the revered Sengol to the Lok Sabha’s chamber. He was dressed in traditional attire before the inauguration and he walked into the new building premises from its Gate No. 1 and was greeted by Speaker of the Lok Sabha Om Birla. Amid Vedic chants by priests from Karnataka’s minister performed ‘Ganapati Homam’ to invoke Gods to bless the inauguration of the new Parliament building.

The Sengol was brought by the Prime Minister in a procession to the new Parliament building to the sounds of ‘nadaswaram’ and the chanting of Vedic mantras, where it was then placed in a special enclosure to the right of the Speaker’s seat in the Lok Sabha chamber. Some eminent leaders who were present at the inauguration ceremony were: Ashwini Vaishnaw, Mansukh Mandaviya, Jitendra Singh, Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah, S Jaishankar, Yogi Adityanath, Himanta Biswa Sarma and BJP President J P Nadda. The PM also presented shawls and trinkets to certain workers who were instrumental in the creation of the new Parliament.

Later, the PM travelled to the old Parliament House with the Speaker and a few other dignitaries. The occasion was also marked by a multi-faith prayer. Let us dive into some new highlights about the Parliament Building:

The red and white sandstone used in the building’s construction came from Sarmathura in Rajasthan, and the teakwood came from Nagpur in Maharashtra. It was rumoured that sandstone from Sarmathura was used to build the Red Fort and Humayun’s Tomb in the capital city.
As already discussed about the interior features of the building and the special parts of it being housed inside including dining areas, library, and sitting place of the MPs, etc. Materials for the new structure were sourced from several states around the country.
The building has three main gates and they are Shakti Dwar, Karma Dwar, and Gyan Dwar. Additionally, it features separate entrances for VIPs, lawmakers, and guests.
According to official accounts, the entire nation banded together to build the temple of democracy, exemplifying the true meaning of “Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat.”
The white marble comes from Ambaji in Rajasthan, the red granite from Lakha near Ajmer, and the Kesharia green stone was purchased in Udaipur.
Rajnagar, Rajasthan, and Noida, Uttar Pradesh, were used as the sources for the stone “jaali,” or lattice work, that is seen throughout the building.
The furniture in the new building was made and designed in Mumbai, while the steel for the false ceilings in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha chambers was purchased comes from Daman and Diu, a union territory.
Materials for the Ashoka Emblem were obtained in the Indian cities of Aurangabad and Jaipur.
The massive walls of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha chambers, as well as the exteriors of the parliament building, are adorned with Ashoka Chakras that were purchased in Indore, Madhya Pradesh.
The brass works and pre-cast ditches that were utilized in the building came from Ahmadabad in Gujarat, while the fly ash bricks came from Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.
For the construction of the new parliament building, manufactured sandstone, or M-sand, was purchased from Charkhi Dadri in the Indian state of Haryana. This sand is considered environment friendly as it s made by crushing large hard stones or granite and not by dredging of river beds.