SADAIV ATAL (Syllabus: GS Paper 1 - Personalities)

Context:  The Prime Minister paid floral tributes at 'Sadaiv Atal' the samadhi of former Prime Minister, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee on his Punya Tithi.

Key Points

• Sadaiv Atal, the Samadhi of Atal Bihari Vajpayee was dedicated to the Nation on the birth Anniversary of the former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
• To emphasise on the unity in diversity, stones from various parts of the country have been used in the construction of Samadhi near Rajghat in New Delhi.  
• The Samadhi has a central platform comprising of nine square blocks, capped with a Diya in the centre. The number nine represents the navarasas, navaratras and navagrahas. 
• The placement of the nine square blocks is in a circular lotus shaped pattern.
• Atal Bihari Vajpayee served as the Prime Minister of India for a term of 13 days in 1996, then for a period of 13 months from 1998 to 1999, and finally, for a full term from 1999 to 2004.
• Atal Bihari Vajpayee was born to Krishna Devi and Krishna Bihari Vajpayee on 25 December 1924 in Gwalior. He passed away on 16 August 2018 due to age-related illness. 
• His birth anniversary is celebrated as Good Governance Day.