Uttar Pradesh State PCS

• 19 Dec 2023

Prime Minister inaugurates Swarved Mahamandir in Varanasi

Why in News?

On 18 December 2023, the Swaraveda temple built in Umraha of Chaubepur area of Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Key Points

• Swarveda Temple was constructed by Saint Sadaphal Maharaj, the founder of Vihangam Yoga Institute.
• Saint Sadaphal Maharaj has ashrams in many countries of the world, out of which this ashram in Varanasi is the largest.
• The biggest feature of Swarveda temple is that not God is worshiped here, but yoga-sadhana is worshiped.
• Swarveda temple is constructed from Makrana marble. Apart from this, amazing carvings have also been done on the walls of this temple.
• This temple is seven storeyed and it has also become the world's largest meditation center. About 20 thousand people can do yoga and meditation together in this temple.
• This temple is built in 64 thousand square feet, whose height is 180 feet.
• Swarveda Mandir The temple is spread over a 200-acre campus.
• About 4000 couplets of Swarveda are written on the inner walls on all the floors of the Swarveda temple. On the outer wall, 138 paintings have been made on the subjects of Vedas, Upanishads, Mahabharata, Ramayana, Geeta etc.
• The construction of Swarved Temple started in the year 2004. This temple has been shaped over the last 19 years.
• Along with inaugurating the Swaraveda Mahamandir, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also laid the foundation stone of the 135 feet high statue of Saint Sadaphal Maharaj.

Prime Minister flags off second Vande Bharat in Varanasi

Why in News? 

On December 18, 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually flagged off the second Vande Bharat Express and dedicated it to the service of the nation in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.

Key Points

• This Vande Bharat Express train will run between Banaras and New Delhi.
• Vande Bharat Express (Train No. 04015) will leave from Banaras (formerly Manduadih) Railway Station of North Eastern Railway at 6 am regularly.
• The Railway Board has decided to run Vande Bharat Express six days a week and this train will not be run on Tuesday for maintenance.
• On this occasion, the new MEMU train from Indaraghat to Dohrighat was also inaugurated.
• It may be noted that the first Vande Bharat Express train departed on February 15, 2019.