Thousands in attendance as festivities for Dayanand Saraswati's 200th birth anniversary begin

Sporting saffron headgears and scarves, men and women, young and old, gathered in large numbers at an event here on Sunday to mark the beginning of year-long celebrations commemorating the 200th birth anniversary of social reformer Dayanand Saraswati.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the celebrations at Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium.

He also unveiled a logo for the bicentennial celebrations during the event the organisers described as 'Gyan Jyoti Parv'.

India is expressing pride over its legacy with tremendous self-confidence and the country is asserting that it will strengthen its ancient traditions while ushering in modernity, Prime Minister Modi said in his address.

He extolled the life and legacy of the social reformer and Arya Samaj founder, and said at a time when the world is facing many issues, the path shown by Maharshi Dayanand "instils hope" in crores of people.

The stands were packed and people who came from different parts of the city thronged the venue while thematic performances by a troupe of artistes drew applause.

The gathering of Saraswati's followers, most of them wearing saffron headgears and scarves bearing Vedic texts, virtually turned the stadium into a sea of saffron as intermittent chants of sacred mantras reverberated around the venue.

An exhibition on the social reformer's legacy and the institutions established guided by Saraswati's vision was also hosted on the stadium premises.

Born in 1824, Saraswati worked to counter the social inequities prevalent at the time. Arya Samaj has played a key role in the country's cultural and social awakening with its emphasis on social reforms and education, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said in a statement earlier.

During a meeting in January, Modi called upon academic and cultural institutions across the country to produce well-researched work on the contributions of the great visionary and social reformer, as well the Arya Samaj -- which will complete 150 years of existence in 2025.

Saraswati founded the Arya Samaj in 1875.

Modi, who arrived at the venue around 11 am, was welcomed on the dais by chants of 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' and invocations of Saraswati's name.

Union Culture Minister G Kishan Reddy, and ministers of state for culture Meenakashi Lekhi and Arjun Ram Meghwal shared the dais with Modi and the other dignitaries.

After arriving at the venue, the Prime Minister walked past the panorama of exhibitions carrying images of Saraswati and some of his rare photographs. He also saw live representations of various facets of Arya Samaj.

He also offered 'ahuti arpan' (offering) in the ongoing 'yagna' at a pavilion on the stadium premises.

At the end of the programme, Modi handed over the 'mashaal' (torch) to youth representatives as a symbolic carrying forward of the spark ignited during the event to reinforce the messages of Saraswati to the rest of India and the world.

The government has been committed to celebrating social reformers and important personalities, especially those whose contributions were not given their due yet on a pan-India scale, the PMO had said.

From declaring the birth anniversary of Birsa Muda as 'Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas' to participating in a programme commemorating Aurobindo's 150th birth anniversary, the Prime Minister has been leading these initiatives from the front, it said.

The organisers said the video feed from the Prime Minister's event was broadcast live at several Indian embassies and consulates abroad.