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(Highlights: click on link to go directly to that
section)
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June 1-15--
Rishikesh
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF
HINDUISM CONFERENCE
From June 1- 15 we had a final review conference for the
Encyclopedia of Hinduism. Nearly 40 top scholars (including
Vice Chancellors of Universities, Principals, Heads of
Departments, etc.) came to Parmarth Niketan, Rishikesh where
they read, reviewed and did final editing for the manuscript
of the monumental project of the Encyclopedia. By the grace
of God and with Pujya Swamiji's blessings, we are truly
nearing the end of this long, divine yatra for Sanatan
Dharma.
June 3-
Rishikesh
PUJYA SWAMIJI'S
BIRTHDAY
June 3 was the divine and holy occasion of Pujya Swamiji's
birthday. However, He never lets anyone organize a big function
or occasion in His honor (except for His 50th birthday, 3
years ago when we organized an enormous celebration without
His knowledge! See
www.parmarth.com/updates/jayanti2002/index.htm for
details).
Therefore, to honor His wishes of no celebration or
function, we did things that are precious to Him. The day
began with a huge Ganga clean up program, where all the
Rishikumars, guests and devotees cleaned up the entire banks
of Mother Ganga. At lunchtime we fed over 600 people -
including saints, brahmacharis, priests, sanyasis, sadhus as
well as local poor people. Then we distributed new clothes
to over 100 sevaks and their families.
Also, in His honor
50 impoverished people received free eye
operations at the Coimbatore Sankara Eye hospital, care of
Divine Soul Dr. R.V. Ramani.
PICTURES OF THE
CLEANUP OF GANGA
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Pujya Swamiji leads the rishikumars in a
widescale clean up of the entire banks
of Mother Ganga from Rama Jhula southward
past Parmarth Niketan, including complete
trash removal from all the ghats.
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A
site, on the banks of Mother Ganga,
that was used by shops in the markets
and others as a trash dump is cleaned
out completely by Pujya Swamiji, the
rishikumars and devotees.
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This is what it looked like before:
This is after the clean up! Not a piece of litter to
be found anywhere!
All the steps
leading down to all the Ganga ghats also were cleaned
until they were immaculate:
After cleaning the
banks of Mother Ganga, the rishikumars celebrated
(and cooled off...) by swimming and frolicking in
Her waters.
After the clean up and
Ganga Snan, we
had a huge bhandara, both inside the ashram and outside.
On our Ganga ghat we fed all of the local sadhus and
also all the local poor people. A total of over 1000
meals were served.
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SPECIAL SEVA
OF THE MONTH |
Dr. R.V. Ramani of the Sankara Eye
Institute of Coimbatore, gave the greatest gift to Pujya
Swamiji. He performed 50 free eye operations on 50 poor
people who otherwise would not have been able to afford
their necessary treatment! All 50 operations were
performed on June 3, in Pujya Swamiji's name and honor!
Pujya Swamiji said that these
gifts - helping others, serving the needy, cleaning our
holy areas -- these are the best gifts and the only
gifts He ever wants!
June 16-18
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Rishikesh
ALL INDIA AYURVEDA
CONFERENCE
From June 16-18, Parmarth Niketan hosted the All India
Ayurveda Conference. Over 100 top Vaidyas came from all over
India. Out of the 60 most famous, most revered Vaidyas in
India, 56 of them came for the Conference. We are planning
to build a whole Ayurveda City!
The conference was graced by the presence of both the
Honorable Governor of Uttranchal Shri Sudarshan Agarwaljli
and also the Honorable Chief Minister of Uttranchal, Shri
Narayandutt Tiwariji.
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The official lamp is lit to begin the
conference. Pujya Swamiji & the revered
vaidyas light dias.
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Vaidyas sit on the stage in the middle of Ganga
June 17
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Rishikesh
GOVERNOR OF UTTRANCHAL
On June 17 the Honorable Governor came and expressed his
appreciation for the conference and also his full support
for creation of an Ayurvedic City and University.
Pujya Swamiji addresses the Vaidyas and
participants
Procession with the Honorable Governor to the
conference hall.
June
17 - Rishikesh
CHIEF MINISTER
OF UTTRANCHAL
The Honorable Chief Minister of Uttranchal came on
the evening of the 17 June. He expressed his strong
support for the creation of the Ayurvedic City and
even pledged Rs. 1 crore for the propogation of
Ayurveda!
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The Honorable Chief Minister and Pujya
Swamiji light the dia with the Education
Minister and the respected Vaidyas
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His Excellency the Chief Minister expressed his
great appreciation for Pujya Swamiji and the plan of
this Ayurvedic Conference. He also expressed his
full support for the plan of an Ayurvedic City and
Ayurvedic Univeristy! Further, he pledged Rs. 1
crore (10,000,000 rupees) for the advancement of
Ayurveda.
June 30 -
July 3
TSUNAMI RELIEF
Pujya Swamiji
traveled back down to the tsunami affected areas where
we have been working since December 30, 2004 (see
www.projecthope-tsunami.com for details). We
are in the midst of construction of an orphanage which
will house nearly 450 orphans (over 350 of whom are
girls). It will also include a school, vocational
training, a compugter center and much more.
Further, we have
adopted a center for 200 widowed, poor and abandoned
ladies. We are building them dining facilities, kitchen
facilities, vocational training facilities and more as
well as renovating the existing structure.
We are constructing
the orphanage on the same ground as the ladies center so
that the children will have 200 ladies to be their
mothers, aunts and older sisters, and the ladies will
have 450 children to fill their lives with love, meaning
and responsibility. It will truly be a village of Hope!
The orphan children
are currently living in temporary facilities erected by
the government.
Pujya Swamiji feeds them with His
own hands!
DISTRIBUTION AT THE
LADIES CENTER
We also had a
distribution of sweets, clothing, supplies and other
necessities to the ladies in the
Ladies service
center.
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Clockwise from top: The ladies receive
their supplies, they gather together on the
front steps, they sit in their hall with 2
rishikumars in the midst! |
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CONSTRUCTION OF THE
ORPHANAGE
Construction is progressing very well
on the orphanage buildings. We expect by November or
December it should be completed.
NEW VILLAGE
Project Hope has agreed to
reconstruct the village of Pannithittu, about 15 km
south of Pondicherry town, in the Pondicherry Union
Territory. The village was completely devastated
in the tsunami and the villagers are impoverished. Thus,
the government requested us to take on this village as
well and Project Hope agreed. There will be 100 homes,
plus a school, community center, vocational training
center and more.
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The land on which we will
reconstruct the village of Pannithittu |
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A few walls of some buildings still stand (see photo
below left), but the majority of the village was just
washed away.
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The land on which we will
reconstruct the village of Pannithittu |
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While in Pondicherry, the divine rishikumars also got
the opportunity to swim in the ocean and enjoy the salty
waves.
FILM ON PUJYA
SWAMIJI & HIS TEACHINGS:
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On April 17,
2004 at the Arclight Theater in Hollywood, USA a
film on the life and teachings of Pujya Swamiji
premiered to a sold out audience.
The film, titled, "A Day in the Light" is
produced and directed by Christopher Miglino.
The film has already
been shown to delighted and inspired audiences at the
Sedona Film Festival, the Indian Film Festival in
Los Angeles and several other film festivals in USA
and Europe.
See
www.adayinthelight.com
to order your own copy of the beautiful film.
Or, you can go directly to
www.amazon.com and order it from there
For more information,
email Christopher directly at
chris@yogamates.com
Click on the links
below for previews: |
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Bathing
in Ganga at Parmarth |
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Itinerary
for Pujya Swamiji
for August - October 2005 |
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August |
September |
October |
| 1-2 |
Winnipeg |
1-6 |
Rishikesh |
8-31 |
Rishikesh |
| 3-4 |
Toronto |
8 |
Jaipur |
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| 6-13 |
New Jersey |
9-28 |
Rishikesh |
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| 14-15 |
Lisbon |
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16-18 |
Tenerife, Spain |
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| 20 |
London*** |
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| 21 |
Leicester*** |
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| 22 |
Manchester*** |
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| 23-24 |
Edinburgh,***
Scotland |
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25-26 |
London*** |
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| 27 |
Leicester*** |
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29-31 |
Rishikesh |
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***for Pujya Swamiji's program in UK
please click here
Email contact for program information:
parmarth@aol.com
*Note: Pujya Swamiji's schedule is always
subject to change at the last minute. Please be sure to
call or email prior to coming to Rishikesh, just to
confirm that He is there. |
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Contact
Information:
Phone: (0135) 2440088, 2434301 Fax: (0135))
2440066
From abroad, dial: + (91-135) instead of (0135)
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