On Saturday 21 January 2017, a special public event for naming an 11.5 km stretch of the Western Sabarmati Riverfront road in Ahmedabad as ‘Pramukh Swami Maharaj Marg’ was organized by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation. The event was held in the presence of HH Mahant Swami Maharaj, Deputy Chief Minister of Gujarat, Mayor of Ahmedabad and other invited dignitaries.
As a tribute to Pramukh Swami Maharaj a ritual offering of his relics and the holy water of 108 rivers of India into the River Sabarmati took place at 4.30 p.m. at the hands of HH Mahant Swami Maharaj, Deputy Chief Minister of Gujarat Shri Nitin Patel, Cabinet Minister Shri Bhupendrasinhji Chudasama, Cabinet Minister Shri Pradipsinhji Jadeja, Ahmedabad Mayor Shri Gautam Shah and other officials.
This was followed by an assembly programme on site of the naming of the riverfront road organized by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation. As a prelude to the event, information about Bhagwan Swaminarayan’s association with Ahmedabad and Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s blessings for the riverfront project were narrated.
Pujya Brahmavihari Swami extolled Swamishri’s personality and Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s association with the Sabarmati river and the Riverfront project saying, ”Pramukh Swami Maharaj blessed Sabarmati River by doing pujan of the waters of the Narmada River on 28 August 2002. He blessed the Riverfront Project in 2004 on its commencement”.
Thereafter, a short video featured divine memories of HH Pramukh Swami Maharaj from 28 August 2002, when he did pujan of the Sabarmati River with the holy waters of the River Narmada.
Thereafter, the Mayor Shri Gautambhai Shah announced, “Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s monumental life and work has been a great inspiration not only for the city of Ahmedabad, but also for the world. He provided direction to humanity. I am greatly pleased to announce the Riverfront road from Vadaj to Vasna as ‘Pujya Pramukh Swami Maharaj’.
This was followed by the ritual worship of the signboard bearing the name ‘Pujya Pramukh Swami Maharaj Marg’ amidst Vedic chantings. The announcement and pujan was received with thunderous applause and a standing ovation from 20,000 devotees and well-wishers.
Pujya Ishwarcharan Swami expressed, “This is a divine and an historic ceremony. We are very fortunate for being here. By this naming, millions will take the holy name of Pujya Pramukh Swami Maharaj whenever they pass from this road. We congratulate and thank all the citizens of Ahmedabad too.”
Shri Bhupendrasinhji Chudasama reminisced on his meetings with Pramukh Swami Maharaj, saying, “I congratulate the corporation and also convey my regards to the entire team. I am fortunate for being part of this divine ceremony.”
Shri Nitin Patel expressed his regards to Pramukh Swami Maharaj ,saying, ”By naming of the Riverfront road as ‘Pujya Pramukh Swami Maharaj Marg,’ it will forever be associated with not only Ahmedabad, Gujarat or India, but with the entire world because the international kite festival and many fairs are held on this ground”.
Finally, HH Mahant Swami Maharaj blessed the gathering, “Pramukh Swami Maharaj was an apostle of peace and an embodiment of peace. Peace exuded from him, wherever he was. We pray that whoever comes here experiences peace and happiness in their life”.