Pramukh Swami Maharaj, head of Bochasanvasi Akshar Purushottam Sansthan (BAPS) of the Swaminarayan sect, passed away on Saturday at his ashram located at Sarangpur, some 153 km away from Ahmedabad.
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He travelled extensively, both in India and overseas, in the process holding “satsang” and creating a large base of devotees.
She said he will always be remembered as a “crusader of humanity, religion and spirituality”. As the head of the BAPS, Pramukh Swami Maharaj has overseen the growth of the BAPS as a global behemoth after modest beginnings in Gujarat.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid rich tribute to the 95-year-old spiritual leader. “Interactions with him were true source of inspiration and wisdom!”
Modi tweeted that he was a stalwart among humans who embodied compassion and humility.
“HH Shri Pramukh Swami Maharaj has been one of the greatest saints of present times. Will miss his presence”. PM Modi has expressed regret at his passing away.
Our Ahmedabad correspondent reports that work of Pujya Pramukh Swami Maharaj and his institution- BAPS was remarkable in the field of education, health and other social services. It’s irreparable loss to the society as whole.
He was born on December 7, 1921 in Vadodara district.
Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel and former chief minister Anandiben Patel too expressed grief over Swami’s demise.
“In 1939, he renounced home to become a renunciate and received initiation into the sadhu-fold from his guru, Brahmaswarup Shastriji Maharaj and was named Sadhu Narayanswarupdas”, the statement said. Then in 1950, aged 28 years, Shastriji Maharaj selected him as the President (Pramukh) of BAPS in his place.
More than half-a-million followers are expected to gather at the Sarangpur temple for the last rites of Pramukh Swami scheduled for Monday.
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During his lifetime, the spiritual leader created and consecrated 1,100 mandirs and huge cultural complexes like Swaminarayan Akshardham in New Delhi and Gandhinagar to portray the cultural and spiritual heritage of India.
