The Swaminarayan temples under the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) celebrated Independence Day with great fervour and enthusiasm.
However, this year the celebrations were extra-special as India completed 75 years of independence. As part of the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga‘ campaign of PM Narendra Modi, all the temples were flying the Tricolour proudly on top.
As part of the ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’ being celebrated across the country, BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham Gandhinagar held a special program to mark the occasion.
The event was held in the presence of BAPS Sanstha’s International Convener Pujya Ishwarcharan Swami Ji. Several other Swamis from BAPS, Akshardham volunteers, and other devotees took part in the program.
Devotees wearing Saffron, White, and Green caps recreated the National Flag on the premises of the temple. Pujya Swami Ji unfurled the Tricolour on this occasion, following which, all the seers and devotees present sang the National Anthem and Vande Mataram.
Addressing the gathering, Ishwarcharan Swami Ji said, “It is a matter of great happiness that we have completed 75 years of independence and we are celebrating Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav to mark the occasion. We should remember our ancestors on this day who sacrificed their lives for freedom. We should also remember Param Pujya Pramukh Swami Maharaj who traveled around the world to promote our culture and traditions.”
Swami Ji also recalled how Shastriji Maharaj, the founder of BAPS, had met Mahatma Gandhi in 1930 during the freedom struggle and gave his blessings for the success of the movement.
While addressing the devotees, Swami Ji also supported the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign of PM Modi. He said that the national flag is a symbol of our pride, and we should all put up the national flag in our homes. He further said that the national flag is a symbol of our values, traditions, and rituals, and by displaying the national flag in our homes, we can feel the true sentiments of ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’.