Pramukh Swami Maharaj Nagar : Shatabdi Mahotsav

Renowned Gujarati folk singers and litterateurs performed on the Pramukh Swami Maharaj Nagar stage on the evening of 4 January 2023 to celebrate “Gujarat Day: Celebrating Glorious Gujrat” and lyrically extolled the spiritual, social and cultural contributions of His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj to Gujarat. Tens of thousands gathered to listen to them and other dignitaries as they remembered the legacy of Bhagwan Swaminarayan and his fifth spiritual successor, Pramukh Swami Maharaj. Bhagwan Swaminarayan had a profound impact on Gujarat’s religious, social and cultural landscape. He worked tirelessly to preserve and develop Gujarati culture and spiritually uplift millions of Gujaratis.

Distinguished guests then paid homage to Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s works and efforts in and for Gujarat.

Renowned Gujarati motivational speaker and author Shailesh Sagpariya said, 

“Pramukh Swami Maharaj elevated the Gujarati language from a regional language to an international one. He spoke in Gujarati at the United Nations during the Millennium World Peace Summit where delegates heard Gujarati for the first time. He also ensured that Gujarati is taught in mandirs across the world. Gujarat has gifted our nation with a number of prominent personalities: namely, the father of the nation – Mahatma Gandhiji, the creator of a united India – Sardar Patel, the first Field Marshal of independent India – Sam Manekshaw, the father of the Indian space programme – Vikram Sarabhai, and the current leader and visionary of a new India – Narendra Modi. Today, over 22,000 Gujaratis are members of the armed forces. Bhagwan Swaminarayan made Gujarat his home and today we are celebrating Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s contributions to Gujarat.”

Renowned Gujarati folk singer Padma Shri Bhikhudan Gadhvi said, “Pramukh Swami Maharaj instilled values in people and taught that the inculcation of dharma leads to the eventual eradication of ego, which spreads peace in society. Pramukh Swami Maharaj was the ideal saint who granted society and individuals peace by awakening them to the path of righteousness. I would often sing a folk song before Pramukh Swami Maharaj with the words, ‘God gave us this priceless soil, water, and air, all for free!’ —explaining how compassionate God is on us! Saints like Pramukh Swami Maharaj and Mahant Swami Maharaj have showered this compassion on us, giving us all we need. Thus, we must have faith in and seek the refuge of such a holy saint.”