Ahmedabad: The packed-to-capacity Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Saturday evening saw the participation of over 1 lakh volunteers (Swayamsevak/karyakar) associated with the Bochasanvasi Akshar Purushottam Sansthan (BAPS) sect of Swaminarayan Sampradaya. The sect celebrated 50 years since the foundation of its organised volunteer cadre in the 1970s by Pramukh Swami Maharaj, the immediate past spiritual head of the sect.
Union home minister Amit Shah and Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel participated in the event along with Mahant Swami, the spiritual head of the sect, and senior sadhus. The event also celebrated the 103rd birth anniversary of Pramukh Swami Maharaj as the devotees paid homage to him through prayers and a laser show.
Shah, in his speech, said that as a person who saw the journey from a grassroots worker to national president of a party, he knows how tough organising people is. He commended the event as ‘rare and incomparable’ where more than one lakh volunteers were felicitated for their social and spiritual services.
“The volunteers have created families with values and have promoted ghar sabha (a concept where all members of a family come together at least once a week) to resolve domestic issues, de-addiction, and education,” he added.
Volunteers from across India and 30 other countries participated in the event, said organisers.
The event saw the participation of children and youth who made different formations on the ground. A special tribute was paid to women volunteers for their commitment, as a video tribute mentioned acts of service across the world. The grand finale involved a laser and drone show along with wristband lighting effects and a fireworks show. In the end, a Maha Aarti was performed with Mahant Swami.
Brahmavihari Swami, a senior monk with the sect, highlighted instances of volunteerism and said that even a single volunteer at several places was an agent of change for de-addiction, eradication of superstitions, and harmonising broken families.
