Today is the second day of the special session of Parliament, which is going to be historic for the democracy of the country. The country’s parliamentary proceedings will shift from the old Parliament building to the new building from today. Prime Minister Modi will walk from the old building to the new building carrying a copy of the Constitution. Following him, all the MPs of Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha will enter the new Parliament on foot. Many gates have been built in the new Parliament building. What is the mythological significance of these symbols?
For crores of countrymen, the moment they hear the word Parliament, an image of a circular building comes to their mind. Many events of independence took place in this building, but now this image will be changed in the new building of Parliament.
The old Parliament building does not have statues or symbols related to Indian culture that adorn it, but this has changed in the new Parliament building. India’s cultural history is fully visible when one looks at the grand entrance gates of the new Parliament House. The interior of the new Parliament building is divided into three national symbols. Lotus, peacock and banyan tree.
Six gates in the new parliament
The new Parliament House has six gates – Gaj Dwar, Ashwa Dwar, Garuda Dwar, Makar Dwar, Shardula Dwar and Hamsa Dwar. All of them are named after real and mythological creatures. In fact, there are red sandstone statues of auspicious creatures at all the six entrances to the new Parliament House. They have been established on the basis of their importance in Indian culture, their aesthetic appearance, positive qualities and the study of Vaastu Shastra.
1- yard gate
A Gaj i.e. elephant statue has been installed to protect the entrance on the northern side of the building. This creature represents intelligence, wealth and memory. Along with this, this gate also symbolizes the aspirations of the elected people.
2- Hamsa Gate
Hamsa i.e. swan is the vehicle of Goddess Saraswati. The swan at the entrance is a symbol of self-realization and knowledge. According to Hindu mythology, Goddess Saraswati is the goddess of knowledge. The swan at the entrance symbolizes that knowledge will be paramount in Parliament, knowledge not only in the traditional sense but also knowledge meant to take the country forward.
3- Shardula Gate
Shardula is a mythological creature, which has the body of a lion but the head of a horse, elephant or parrot. It is said to be the most powerful and foremost among living beings. According to the government, this creature at the gate is a symbol of the strength of the people of the country.
4- Garuda Gate
The statue of Garuda has been installed at the eastern entrance of the new Parliament building. Garuda is also called the king of birds. According to mythology, Garuda is the vehicle of Lord Vishnu. He represents power and religion. Garuda symbolizes that the Parliament is the power of the people and those who are inside will follow their religion.
5- Capricorn Gate
This gate is named after the mythological sea creature. It is half mammal and half fish. Makar Dwar is towards gate number 12 of the old Parliament House. It is associated with animal protectors and is often seen in Hindu and Buddhist monuments.
6- Horse gate
Ashwa is the Sanskrit word for horse. There is also mention about this in Rigveda. In Indian culture and history, horse is considered a symbol of power, strength and courage. Strength, power and courage are qualities that are associated with the Parliament of India and its strong democratic roots.
Stepping into the new Parliament building, one sees symbols of the blend of culture and technology. They show that modern progress can be effectively combined with historical culture. Advanced technology security systems have been installed in this building, which include facial recognition software, CCTV cameras and screening procedures for visitors. Along with biometrics, retina scan will also be done at the entrance, which is a world class security system.
How is the new Parliament building?
Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of the new Parliament building on 10 December 2020. It was inaugurated on 28 May 2023. The new Parliament building was completed in 29 months. The Parliament House has been designed in a triangular shape so that maximum space can be utilized. It is built in 64,500 square meters. It has cost about Rs 1200 crore to build it.
The old Parliament House has seating for 545 MPs in the Lok Sabha and 245 in the Rajya Sabha. Whereas, 888 MPs can sit in the Lok Sabha chamber in the new building. In case of a joint Parliament session, 1,272 MPs will be able to sit. Whereas, 384 MPs can easily sit in the Rajya Sabha chamber. In the new Parliament, the Lok Sabha Chamber has been designed on the theme of the national bird peacock and the Rajya Sabha Chamber has been designed on the theme of the national flower lotus.
Flag hoisting at Gaj Dwar on 17th September
The national flag was hoisted in the new Parliament building on September 17, a day before the beginning of the special session of Parliament. Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar hoisted the national flag at the Parliament House. During this, senior Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Choudhary, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Prahlad Joshi along with leaders of various parties in Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha were also present. Before hoisting the flag, Dhankhar and Birla were given a separate guard of honor by the Parliament Duty Group of CRPF.