New Delhi/IBNS: Prime Minister Narendra Modi took part in a mega puja to mark the formal inauguration of the new Parliament building.

Around 60 religious heads were present at the event which also comprise a mega havan in the Parliament premises outside the new building.

Besides PM Modi, Speaker Om Birla also took part in the puja along with PM Modi.

The ceremonial sceptre 'Sengol' was handed over to PM Modi by the high priests of the Shaivite order.

PM Modi sought blessings from the priest holding the 'Sengol' in his hand.

He then carried the Sengol inside the building and istalled it beside the Speaker's chair amid the chanting of religious hymns.

Two short films will be screened in the Parliament building, followed by Prime Minister Modi's address.

The new parliament building offers more space than the current building which was built in 1927.

With carpets from Mirzapur in Uttar Pradesh, bamboo flooring from Tripura and stone carvings from Rajasthan, the new Parliament building "reflects India's diverse culture".

The interior has three national symbols - the lotus, the peacock, and the banyan tree - as its themes.

The triangular-shaped four-storey parliament building has a built-up area of 64,500 sqm. The building has three main gates - Gyan Dwar, Shakti Dwar, and Karma Dwar.