India’s Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla met Param Pujya Mahant Swami Maharaj at Swaminarayan Akshardham in New Delhi to offer his respects. Meeting him for the first time, Shri Birlaji specially garlanded Mahant Swami Maharaj and Swamishri also traditionally welcomed the Lok Sabha Speaker with a garland.
Om Birlaji complimented Mahant Swami Maharaj for inspiring the remarkable cultural, spiritual and humanitarian work of BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha in India and around the world. Mahant Swami Maharaj blessed Shri Biralji to continue serving the nation and humanity.
Speaker Birlaji then paid his respects at Swaminarayan Akshardham Mandir, where BAPS swamis warmly received him with a garland and tied a sacred thread around his wrist. He commended the spirit of voluntary service by which the mandir was built. While devoutly performing abhishek of Shri Neelkanth Varni, he prayed for peace, prosperity and harmony in the nation. He then experienced the Sanskruti Vihar boat ride exhibition that displays 10,000 years of India’s heritage and discoveries.
Sharing his experience, Shri Om Birla wrote, “Had an amazing darshan of Swaminarayan Mandir. It is a wonderful combination of knowledge, science and culture as well as a wonderful exhibition of art. It is infused with spirituality and service. It was built in a short time. Its darshan has made life blessed. I also got the privilege of meeting Mahant Swamiji Maharaj. Wonderful. Very beautiful.”