Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday (15) paid tribute to the late Pramukh Swami Maharaj, the former spiritual head of Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Santha (BAPS) Swaminarayan sect, on his 98th birth anniversary.
The 11-day celebrations for the spiritual leader, who died in August 2106, started in Rajkot on December 5 and culminated Saturday.
In a written message Saturday, PM Modi said, "I enjoyed a special relationship with him and looked up to him as a mentor. I spent memorable moments with him and will never forget my interactions with Pramukh Swami Maharaj ji."
"During many such interactions, I always felt like a disciple before a guru and a son before a father. I have been fortunate to be blessed with his affection and have experienced his affectionate concern for my all round welfare and development on innumerable occasions," the PM wrote.
He further wrote that though Pramukh Swami was not among us in physical form, "his life, thoughts, actions and ideals will continue to guide humanity for all times to come".
Modi had visited the Swaminarayan Temple in Botad town following Pramukh Swami's death two years ago.
The prime minister had paid an emotional farewell at the time by saying that, in Pramukh Swami's death, he had lost his father.
"His physical form may not be in our midst but his life, thoughts, actions and ideals will continue to guide humanity fossil times to come. His thoughts transcended all barriers. It is our collective duty to take forward his life, thoughts and ideas and imbibe them in our daily life.
"The celebration of the Janma Mahotsav is an occasion to inculcate in every heart the eternal virtues of love, compassion, harmony, brotherhood, equality, peace and national unity.
"May the celebrations be blessed and inspired by his vision to bring about a transformation in the lives of the poor and marginalised sections of the society. With humble 'Pranaam' at the divine feet, I pray for all-round success of the Janma Jayanti Mahotsav celebrations."
Pramukh Swami Maharaj, the fifth spiritual successor of BAPS, was born as Shantilal Patel at Chansad village in Vadodara on December 7, 1921. In 1939 he left home to become a sadhu and he was appointed as BAPS president when he was just 28. He became the spiritual guru of BAPS in 1971 after Yogiji Maharaj, the fourth spiritual successor of BAPS, passed away.
During his lifetime, the spiritual guru has travelled extensively, both in India and abroad, holding satsangs and creating a large base of devotees. He has created and consecrated 1,100 temples and giant cultural complexes like Swaminarayan Akshardham in New Delhi and Gandhinagar. In his first overseas tour after becoming guru, he consecrated the first BAPS mandir in New York in 1974.
In 2000, he addressed the Millennium World Peace Summit of Spiritual Leaders at the United Nations and in 2004, he was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award from the US government.
In 2000, Pramukh Swami Maharaj qualified for two entries in the Guinness Book of World Records – for building and inspiring the largest traditional temple outside India in Neasden and for presiding over a record 335 temple consecration ceremonies between 1971 and 2000.
Bob Blackman MP speaks during the event