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Left: First Katha during Kumbha Mela, performed by Pujya Morari Bapu for the benefit of the Encyclopedia. Right: First Katha in Columbia, South Carolina, performed by Pujya Rameshbhai Oza, in 1989 for the benefit of the Encyclopedia. |
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February 13, 2006 - Bodh Gaya: 2550th Buddha Jayanti
In honor of the 2550th anniversary of Lord Buddha's enlightenment, there was a weeklong function in BodhGaya, the land where He sat under the Bodhi tree and attained enlightenment. The inauguration was on the 13th February and Pujya Swamiji was a special guest for the function. His Holiness the Dalai Lama graced the event with his presence and words, and also led a divine chanting/prayer session. The program was organized by the Maha Bodhi Society of India, of which Dr. Bhupendra Kumar Modiji is the President.
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February 1-12, 2006 - Porbandar, Gujarat : Pujya Swamiji at Sandipani Mandir Mahotsav
Pujya Swamiji traveled to Porbandar, Gujarat for the Mandir Mahotsav of the Sandipani Vidyaniketan Ashram, headed by Pujya Sant Shri Rameshbhai Oza (Pujya Bhaishri). During the course of the two week celebration, the Hari Mandir was inaugurated and the prana pratishtha ceremony was performed. Then, there was a 7-day Bhagwat Katha along with evening sessions of discourse by the revered saints, and nighttime bhajan/kirtan performances by renowned singers and musicians.
The program began with a beautiful Shobha Yatra on the 1st February and then to the roof of the temple for the sacred puja. Revered saints from across India including Pujya Swami Gurusharananandji, Pujya Swami Ramdevji, Pujya Morari Bapuji, Pujya Deviprasad Bapuji, Pujya Bhupendrabhai Pandyaji and many other revered saints came during the 2 week event to offer their darshan and their words of wisdom.
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November 20, 2005, Phoenix, AZ, USA: Pravachan's by Pujya Swamiji
On the occasion of the groundbreaking ceremony for the Ekta Mandir in Phoenix, Pujya Swamiji travelled to Phoenix where He gave 2 programs. The first was at the Festival of India where He gave a talk on Karma Yoga and the second was a special pravachan program at the community hall next to where the Ekta Mandir will be built.
November 14, 2005, Tampa, Florida, USA: Pujya Swamiji's pravachan at BAPS mandir
After spending the weekend in Miami, Pujya Swamiji spent a night in Tampa where He gave pravachan and darshan at the BAPS mandir in Tampa. The program was organized by Dr. Sharadbhai and Gargi Patel and Bellaben and Yogeshbhai Patel.
November 11-13, 2005, Miami, Florida, USA: Puja Swamiji's keynote speech at the "Path of Yoga" conference by the Omega Institute of New York
Each year the Omega Institute of New York (USA's premier institute for yoga, meditation and other healing/spiritual sciences), see www.eomega.org, hosts a huge conference to which they call all of the top, most famous, renowned yoga teachers, meditation and healing experts from USA together. The Conference this year was titled "Path of Yoga." There were approximately 40 of America's founders, directors and leaders of all the different forms of yoga who came together to offer classes at the huge Sheraton Bal Harbour Resort in Miami. Nearly 1000 participants came from across the world to participate and learn in the conference.
Each year, the conference opens on Friday evening with a special Key-note address. A famous expert in the field is usually called to deliver this 90 minute inaugural address. However, this was the first time they had called a holy person, a saint, a spiritual leader to be the keynote speaker.
With humor and examples from everyday life, Pujya Swamiji explained each of the eight limbs and how they are all crucial parts of being a “yogi.”
Typically in the West, yoga is taught as asana. Occasionally some pranayama and/or meditation is taught. But, rarely are the yamas and niyamas discussed as crucial aspects of living a yogic life. Rarely are students taught that being a yogi means being peaceful, being truthful, being generous, exercising restraint in all areas, surrendering to God. Everyone left the talk with a clear understanding that yoga is much more than postures and they learned how to bring the full, completeness of yogic union into their daily lives. It was the first time that most of the participants had met a saint, and their lives were changed.
During the course of the weekend (Pujya Swamiji also gave additional discourses and question-answer sessions on a Yogic Life), so many people told him that due to His talk, their lives had changed. Many became vegetarian. Many promised to incorporate ahimsa, satyam and the other yamas and niyamas into their daily lives. All were forever touched and transformed by His presence.
It was an amazing experience as over 1000 participants, teachers and students listened to Pujya Swamiji speak for nearly 2 hours on the 8 Limbs of Yoga. He discussed the 8-fold path of yoga, from the yamas and niyamas (do’s and don’ts) to Samadhi (divine, ecstatic bliss).
November 9, 2005, London: Pujya Swamiji's lecture - "Your Divine Yatra to Spirituality"
Pujya Swamiji gave a beautiful lecture during His short stay in London titled "Your Divine Yatra to Spirituality". He explained, in a gracefully flowing mix of English, Gujarati and Hindi, how to turn our lives from the external to the internal.
The program was co-organized by Garavi Gujarat Magazine/Asian Trader Publications, UK (see www.gg2.net) and India Heritage Research Foundation. It was a great gathering of approximately 400 people at the Kadwa Patidar Center, particularly as it was a weeknight!
We also celebrated the birthday of Kalpesh Solanki, managing Editor of Garavi Gujarat and IHRF trustee, during the function.
October 1-6, 2005: Himalayan yatra
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For one week, Pujya Swamiji led a divine yatra to Badrinath, Kedarnath, Guptkashi and Rudraprayag in the Himalayas.
We began from Rishikesh on the morning of October 1, and drove to Guptkashi to the divine ashram of Swami Girjananandji. Then on October 2, we left early and drove to Gaurikund from where we started the 14 km trek to Kedarnath, reaching the holy tirth in the late evening. Our plan had been to have darshan and puja in the temple on the 3rd morning, but the 3rd was an eclipse; hence the temple would be closed. Therefore, they arranged for a special, private puja for our group from 11:00 pm - midnight on the 2nd night.
We reached back to the beautiful Himalayan ashram in Guptkashi in late afternoon and spent the duration of the eclipse (from 4:18 pm - 5:30 pm) in puja, prayer and chanting.
October 4 morning we drove to Badrinath, stopping along the way for darshan at Hanuman Chatti.
After lunch at Parmarth Lok, Badrinath, we left for Mana, the last village on the Indian side of the border, and also the site where many historical and spiritual events took place. For example, in Mana, in Vyasa Guffa, Maharishi Vyasji wrote the Mahabharata and also arranged the Vedas into the current arrangement of 4 separate Vedas.
Further, in Mana, one can walk the path that the Pandava brothers walked with Draupadi after the Mahabharata war, and one can even see the bridge (Bhima phool) where Bhima pushed a large rock across the Saraswati river so that Draupadi could cross.
We meditated in Vyasa guffa, had darshan of the Saraswati river and Bhima phool, and also distributed sweets to every member of the village!
On the 5th October, after leaving Badrinath, we spent the night in Rudraprayag, the sangam of the holy Mandakini river from Kedarnath and the holy Alakananda river from Badrinath. Pujya Swamiji felt that Ganga Aarti should be performed at this sacred prayag. Hence, we had arranged in advance for aarti supplies and we organized the first aarti at Rudra Prayag sangam. Pujya Swamiji pledged his support and assistance in helping the local people continue the aarti each evening.
Yatris included the family of Sandeep and Manjari Gupta, owners of Dainik Jagran newspaper, Smt. Yashodhara Oberoi, Lily Bafandi of Switzerland and others from USA and India, as well as our divine Rishikumars.
September 2-5, 2005: NRI students visit Parmarth
A group of 25 students from across the world came to Parmarth Niketan for 3 days as part of their government-organized trip to India. The students -- many of whom had never been to India -- were so touched and inspired during their time at Parmarth that they never wanted to leave. Their days were filled with yoga, meditation, adventures, inspiring and uplifting satsang with Pujya Swamiji, and of course divine Ganga Aarti each evening. One student exclaimed, "Mecca is the place that all Muslims should visit. Rishikesh is the place that all Hindus should visit!"
Above: The NRI students from across the world perform Ganga Aarti and pray on the holy banks of Mother Ganga; joyful, they gather with Pujya Swamiji for a group photo
Above: Although they are students at some of the world's best institutions, their questions of the heart and soul had never been answered. It was a rare and special opportunity for them to sit with Pujya Swamiji and ask a variety of questions ranging from issues of daily life to puja, rites and rituals to theories of karma and reincarnation to so many other aspects of life.
August 23 - 24, 2005: Festival of Spirituality, Scotland, UK
Each August, Edinburgh, Scotland hosts hundreds of thousands of people who come for the world famous Festival Season of Edinburgh. There are dozens of different, simultaneous festivals (including art, music, theatre, books, etc.). This has been going on for over 50 years! For the last few years, a Festival of Spirituality has been added to the Edinburgh Festivals. Organized by Neill Walker, this Festival of Spirituality aims to bring spiritual awareness to the flocks of tourists, seekers and visitors. Pujya Swamiji was invited as a main speaker for the Festival of Spirituality. (see http://www.stjohns-edinburgh.org.uk/Festival.shtml).
On the evening of the 23 August, Pujya Swamiji gave a beautiful talk on Spirituality at the St. John's church, an ornate, ancient and traditional church with expansive stained-glass windows and a towering steeple. It was a beautiful symbol of inter-faith love and harmony for a Hindu saint to be speaking from the pulpit of a church to an audience sitting in the pews.
The program began with a showing of the divine Ganga Aarti, broadcast onto a large screen in the church. It is probably the first time in history that Aarti has been performed in a church!
Following the lecture, He opened the floor for questions-answers and the questions showed a deep sense of searching, quest and introspection on the part of the western audience.
On the morning of August 24, Pujya Swamiji addressed 250 students (in two batches) at the Holy Rood High School in Edinburgh. Addressing the groups of Scottish students (most of whom had never seen a Hindu Saint) He immediately won them over with His love, His humor and His straightforward answers to their questions. They asked beautiful questions, ranging from His views on the war in Iraq to what they could do to make the world a better place. Pujya Swamiji was very impressed by the thoughtfulness of such young students.
Above: St. John's Church where Pujya Swamiji's lecture took place
Above: Students listen attentively
Pujya Swamiji immediately won the hearts of the headmaster and principal of the school, to whom He gave copies of Drops of Nectar upon departure
August 13, 2005: Dharma Summit, New Jersey
Organized by Pujya Swami Dayanandji and Arsha Vidya Gurukulum a Dharma Summit was held at Rutger's University from the 13-15 August. Pujya Swamiji spoke in the opening session on the 13th. In addition to Pujya Swami Dayanandji, other respected spiritual leaders who attended included Pujya Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami, Pujya Dr. Pranav Pandya and Pujya Shri Chitrabhanuji.
March 1-7, 2005: International Yoga Festival
Inauguration left to right: Rabbi Burt Siegel, Brahmachari Vishwapal Jayanti, Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa, Suresh Oberoi, N.N. Prasad, Pujya Swami Chidanandji, Hon. Governor Shri Sudarshan Agarwal, Pujya Shankaracharya Swami Divyanand Teerthji, Pujya Swami Veda Bharatiji, Pujya Swami Munishanandji, Rohini Khatri, Sadhvi Abha Saraswati, Karin O'Bannon, Sadhvi Bhagwati Saraswati
Parmarth Niketan Ashram and Uttranchal Tourism jointly organized the annual International Yoga Festival at Parmarth Niketan, Rishikesh from March 1-7, 2005.
More than 250 students came from 33 countries, including Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Norway, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UAE, UK, USA, Zimbabwe and many others.
There was a wide variety of yoga offerings including Kundalini Yoga, Hatha Yoga, Reiki, Pranayama, Power Yoga, Yoga Nidra, Pranic Healing, Music Therapy, Yoga Therapy, Nada yoga, Meditation and special satsangs & question-answer sessions with H.H. Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji, H.H. Pujya Shankaracharya Swami Divyanand Teerthji and H.H. Pujya Swami Gurusharananandji Maharaj.
The teachers included:
Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa, a world renowned Kundalini Yoga instructor from Hollywood, California, USA. Gurmukh taught Kundalini Yoga.
Karin O’Bannon, former senior teacher of the Iyengar Yoga Institute of Los Angeles taught Hatha Yoga and the yoga sutras of Patanjali
Brahmachariji Vishwa Pal Jayanti taught Power Yoga, Pranayama
Rohini Khatri, reiki master from Hyderabad, taught Reiki
Swami Veda Bharatiji led a special meditation session.
Rabbi Burt Siegel gave lectures on the universal nature of yoga.
Sadhvi Abha Saraswati taught Yoga Nidra
Sadhvi Bhagwati Saraswati taught meditation
Suresh Oberoi engaged participants in Anubhava (sharing of experiences).
Parul Mehta and Kelly Wood taught yogasana classes
Laxmi Narain Joshi taught Pranic Healing
There were also classes offered in Vedic Astrology, Nadi yoga, kriya yoga and more.
The special guests included:
H.H. Pujya Shankaracharya Swami Divyanand Teerthji of Bhanpura Peeth came and gave satsang, lectures and question-answer sessions in the evening with H.H. Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji.
H.H. Pujya Mahamandaleswar Swami Gurusharananandji Maharaj of Raman Reti/Mathura came and gave satsang, lectures and question-answer sessions in the evening with H.H. Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji.
H.H. Pujya Mahamandaleswar Swami Veda Bharatiji of the Swami Rama came and gave a special meditation session.
There was also a special cultural dance night arranged by Uttranchal Tourism.
The official inauguration on 1 March was graced by the presence of the Honorable Governor of Uttranchal, Honorable Shri Sudarshan Agarwal, in addition to the revered saints and yogacharyas.
January 28-30, 2005: Hindu Heritage Pratisthan, Rishikesh
Every year, the Hindu Heritage Pratisthan camp comes to Rishikesh for a 3 day retreat in which students from across the world who are studying all over India, travel to Rishikesh to truly experience Indian culture. During the rest of the year they study in classrooms and universities, but for these 3 days they experience the culture and spirituality of India.
One hundred twenty five students came to Parmarth Niketan on the morning of the 28 January 2005 and had their official inauguration by the hands of Pujya Swamiji and Pujya Dr. Pranav Pandyaji of Shantikunj, Haridwar. Further, Vivek Oberoi was a special guest at the inauguration.
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