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Read
Pujya Swamiji's Divine Messages on:
Ram Navami
Hanuman Jayanti
Buddha Jayanti
Upcoming Events:
May 12:
Inauguration of Orphanage
Complex built by
Project Hope - India Heritage
Research Foundation
for Tsunami orphans
See next month's update for
details!
(see
www.projecthope-tsunami.org
for full details
of the tsunami relief work)
DVDs of
the Kailash-Mansarovar yatra 2006
now available -
Click here
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Pujya Swamiji listed as one of the 10 main Saints of
Uttrakhand, with a view of inter-faith harmony and
unity.
India's largest newspaper, Dainik Jagran, did a
large feature on the 10 most influential, divine
saints of the State of Uttrakhand, which
includes the sacred religious areas of Haridwar,
Rishikesh and the Himalayas. Pujya Swamiji was
number 2 on this list which also included such
revered saints as Pujya Swami Satyamitranandji (Bharat
Mata Mandir), Pujya Dr. Pranav Pandya (Shantikunj -
Gayatri Parivar), Pujya Swami Avdeshanandji, Pujya
Swami Chidanandaji (Divine Life Society) and Pujya
Brahmachari Brahmachariji (Jai Ram Ashram), and
others.
March 1-7 - Rishikesh
International Yoga
Festival.
The
annual International Yoga Festival, organized
jointly by the Uttarakhand Tourism and Parmarth
Niketan Ashram in Rishikesh, took place from March
1- 7. See special
Yoga Festival update for details.
Click here
March
18 - 28 - Rishikesh
Silent Meditation Retreat
A
beautiful silent meditation retreat was organized
here for 10 days with approximately 80 people from
around the world by Open Dharma. Pujya Swamiji
always says, "Meditation is the best medication for
all agitations!"
The
participants in front of Parmarth's yoga/meditation hall
Pujya Swamiji
with the organizers and leaders of the retreat
March
22 - Dehradun
Inauguration of wing at Jolly Grant Hospital for
Cleft Palate. Pujya Swamiji was the Chief Guest at
the opening of the new wing at the Himalayan
Institute, Jolly Grant Hospital in Dehradun.
Pujya Swamiji, Shri Vijay Dhasmanaji and the doctors
light the lamp;
Shri Dhasmanaji gives Pujya Swamiji a shawl as a sign of respect
March
23 - Rishikesh
Pujya Mahant Ram Singhji Maharaj, head of the Nirmal Ashram of
Rishikesh came to Parmarth to meet with Pujya
Swamiji and to take part in the Ganga Aarti on the
day before the official opening of the new Nirmal
Ashram Eye Hospital.
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Pujya Mahant
Ram Singhji and Pujya Mahant Jodhsinghji
come for Ganga Aarti |
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Pujya Swamiji
welcomes them both with tilak |
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The
hospital has been built and sponsored by Mission for
Vision, a divine program working to eliminate
blindness in India and Africa, by setting up top
quality, state of the art hospitals and clinics for
poor people who otherwise would not receive any
care.
Shri Chandru Kewalramani and his divine brothers,
Shri Sureshji and Shri Vijayji are main sponsors of
the hospital, and Chandruji is one of the pillars of
strength for Mission for Vision.
In
less than two years this divine hospital has come to
fruition. Pujya
Swamiji was part of the ground breaking ceremony in
May 2005, (see
www.parmarth.org/updates/may2005 for details)
and now it was beautiful to see the way this amazing
project has come up in such a short time.
On the eve of the opening, Pujya
Mahant Ram Singhji Maharaj, Pujya Mahant Jodhsinghji, the divine Kewalramani family and others came to perform the
sacred yagna and aarti, and to pray to Mother
Goddess Ganga to bless the hospital with the ability
to serve, serve and serve the needy population.
Pujya Swamiji, the
Pujya Saints from Nirmal Ashram, Shri Chandru
Kewalramani, the Kewalramani family and the doctors
perform the sacred yagna on the banks of Ganga
On
March 24 Pujya Swamiji attended the opening of the
hospital at Nirmal Ashram, Rishikesh
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Pujya Swamiji
with Pujya Mahant Ramsinghji. |
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Shri Chandru Kewalramani
with the revered saints
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Shri Chandruji brings the doctors of Mission for
Vision for Ganga Aarti
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Pujya Swamiji, Shri Chandruji and the
doctors/ organizers of Mission for Vision
perform Yagna and Aarti
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March
--
Rishikesh
The divine young children from
Miri Piri Academy, the school for children of the
Sikh Dharma started by Pujya Siri Singh Sahib, Yogi
Bhajanji, came to Parmarth during their school
holidays. It is beautiful to see their devotion and
piety, and also to listen to them chant and sing.
They love to come to Parmarth and to have
question-answer satsang sessions with Pujya Swamiji
March
24-26 -
Rishikesh
A group of high school students
from California, USA came to Parmarth for a few days
during their Spring Break. Having groups of High
School and College/University students here is a
common occurrence, particularly during Spring and
Winter vacations. The students enjoy yoga and
meditation classes as well as question-answer time
with Pujya Swamiji. They always participate in the
divine Ganga Aarti ceremony and that, inevitably, is
a highlight of their stay. They also play
sports with the rishikumars and take part in other
adventure/sightseeing activities, including river
rafting and visiting local temples.
A group from the American School
of Paris also came in early April.
To organize a trip for students,
please email
parmarth@parmarth.org
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Left: students from USA; right: students
from American School of Paris |
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Sanskaras
at Parmarth -
Mundan Ceremonies, Weddings, Ash
Immersion
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Every year so many families come
to Parmarth, to the holy banks of Mother Ganga, to
perform the sacred rites of passage including the
mundan (first headshaving), the sacred thread
ceremony, weddings as well as the final rites of ash
immersion. All pujas are performed according to
traditional Vedic rituals, by trained priests,
acharyas and the divine rishikumars of the Parmarth
Gurukul. See the
Sanskaras page of our website to learn about the
meanings and significance of the different rites of
passage.
Please email to
parmarth@parmarth.org to find out about coming
to perform any of the sacred sanskaras here
Mundan
Ceremonies - First Headshaving:
Click
here to learn about the mundan (first heading
shaving) ceremony..
March
30 - Mundan for Prem
The Dawada / Majithia family came from
London to perform two sacred pujas, marking two
sacred rites of passage -- the ash immersion of
beloved Dipen Majithia and the mundan of young Prem.
It was a mark of the ever changing, ever
flowing and
inevitable cycle of life. A mark of celebration for
an infant child, and a tragic passing....
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Dear Prem's head is shaved and he gets a bath in
Ganga!!
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April 29 -
Mundan for Pranav Arora
Another beautiful mundan ceremony
also took place for dear Pranav Arora.
Weddings - Sacred Marriage
Click here to see details of significance of
weddings and the way they are performed at Parmarth
March 31
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Wedding - Bhavini
and Pradeep
Bhavini Kalan of South Africa, a
frequent resident and Vinyasa yoga teacher at
Parmarth married her long time love Pradeep, here on
the holy banks of Mother Ganga. It was a beautiful,
divine wedding, presided over by the rishikumars and
Bhavini's family at Parmarth. Of course the
reception took place later back in South Africa but
the official vidhis (rites) were performed here in
this sacred land with the blessings of Mother Ganga
and Pujya Swamiji.
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Bhavini and
Pradeep seek Ma Ganga's blessings before the
wedding |
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The wedding itself! Flower garlands and
pheras |
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After the Divine Wedding the newlyweds performed Ganga
Yagna and Aarti
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The blissful Newlyweds! May the blessings of
God, Mother Ganga and Pujya Swamiji always be
with them.
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April 18
--
Sacred Wedding of Maya and Manish Patel
The Divine Wedding of Maya and
Manish Patel also took place and they came to seek
Pujya Swamiji's blessings on the banks of Mother
Ganga
Pujya Swamiji blesses Maya with a sacred mala of
Rudraksh
Sacred Ash Immersion --
Final Rites Ceremony
Click here to see the significance of the Ash
Immersion puja and the way it is performed at
Parmarth by so, so many families from across the
world each year.
Sacred Ash Immersion Ceremonies
were also performed by several families from around
the world, including the final rites for Divine Soul Dipen Majithia of London
April 1
--
Ash Immersion - Dipen
Majithia
Divine Soul Dipen Majithia,
beloved husband of Neeta and father to Rishi, Janki
and Gangotri, left his body to reside at the holy
feet of God. His entire family came from London for
the sacred puja here.
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Dipen's 3 children -- Rishi, Janki and
Gangotri -- perform the puja ceremony |
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April 2-3
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Surat, Gujarat
Pujya
Swamiji was the Chief Guest at the prana pratishtha
(deity installation) ceremony for the Hanuman murti
at the Hanuman temple in Surat, on the auspicious
occasion of Hanuman Jayanti!
Click here to read about the meaning of the
prana pratishtha ceremony.
Click here to read about the message of
Hanumanji's life. The function was organized and
sponsored by Shri Dineshbhai Pacheriwal of Surat. In
the evening there was a beautiful satsang with Pujya
Swamiji's lecture on the message of Shri Hanumanji.
April 5
--
Chennai
Pujya
Swamiji traveled to South India for a function at
the home of NEPC chairman Shri Ravi Khemkaji. The
function was also graced by the presence of Pujya
Swami Babaji from Palampur, Himachal Pradesh.
(left): The Khemka family here at Parmarth;
(right) Pujya Swamiji and Pujya Swami Babaji at the
Khemka residence in Chennai
On
the trip to Chennai Pujya Swamiji also met with the
Honorable Governor of Tamil Nadu, His Excellency
Shri Surjit Singh Barnalaji and discussed the work
in the tsunami affected areas (see
www.projecthope-tsunami.org) including the
inauguration of the orphanage we have built which
was inaugurated on 12th May -- details coming in the
May update next month.
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Pujya Swamiji with His Excellency Shri S.S.
Barnaji, Hon. Governor of Tamil Nadu |
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Coincidentally, the beautiful Mataji of the Neem
Karoli Baba ashram in Rishikesh was staying at Raj
Bhavan at the same time. Mataji has been in silence
for many decades but speaks volumes through her
loving eyes and smile. She and Pujya Swamiji know
each other from many many years ago, and had a
beautiful reunion.
Pujya Swamiji with Mataji
and Smt. Gariyalji, the personal secretary to His
Excellency (who was also the relief commissioner during
the time of tsunami relief work)
April 7
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Delhi
Pujya Swamiji was a main speaker at the Himalayan
Parivar function in Delhi regarding Himalayan
Ecology and Conservation, with
Shri Indresh Kumarji and other members of the
Himalayan Parivar (family).
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Pujya Swamiji and Shri Indresh Kumarji |
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April 21 - 22
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Rishikesh
A
two day free Medical Urology Camp was organized by Dr. Anshuman
Kapoor, an expert and renowned urological surgeon
from Chandigarh. Over 160 patients were seen
for diagnostics, laboratory investigation and
ultrasound. The next camp will include sophisticated
surgeries. If you are a doctor (including
dentist, ophthalmologist, etc.) and would like to
come and offer your services in the form of a free
medical camp for local people of the Himalayas,
please contact Dr. Alka Patel at
alka@parmarth.org
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(left): Pujya Swamiji blesses Dr. Kapoor;
(right): Lamp is lit at the hospital |
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April 18
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Rishikesh
Ganga Saree Manorath --
More than 500 divine women (the Shakti) of the
Maheshwari Parivar from 24 states across India came to Parmarth Niketan as part
of their large Sanskar Shibir. They tied 500 sarees
together to come all the way across Mother Ganga. It
was an amazing, divine, beautiful sight to behold
Mother Ganga draped in so many sarees.
It
was truly a mela (festival) at the aarti with all
the women singing and dancing.
The divine mela -- Gangaji gets wrapped in sarees at
the holy feet of Lord Shiva
The 500 ladies of the Maheshwari Parivar line the banks
of Mother Ganga to bring all 500 sarees (tied together)
across Ganga and onto the Ma Gangaji murti at the
Parmarth Ghat
back to top
April 15 - 24
--
Meditation Camp
A beautiful Vedic meditation camp was held here,
with over 50 people coming from across the world.
The camp was led by Tom Knowles.
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Tom Knowles and retreat participants take
part in Ganga Aarti |
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Pujya Swamiji blesses Tom with a special
shawl |
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*Thanks
to Jeff Kober for photographs
April 28-30
--
Rishikesh
A group of divine devotees came from Thailand to
Parmarth Niketan. Led by their spiritual teacher,
Thay-Ma a regular visitor to Parmarth and devotee of
Pujya Swamiji, they spent several beautiful days in
Rishikesh, performing Ganga aarti, yagna and
spending time with the rishikumars.
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Pujya Swamiji with Thay-Ma and her group; He
blesses her with a Shiv Nataraj murti |
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The group distributes fruit and sweets from
Thailand to the rishikumars |
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June 3 -
Pujya Swamiji's 55th Jayanti (birth anniversary)
Thank you for being the
Light in our lives.
For links to all previous updates and Divine
Messages, click here.
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Contact Information
Phone: (0135) 2440088, 2440077, 2434301
Fax: (0135) 2440066
From abroad, dial: + (91-135) instead of (0135)
Email:
parmarth@parmarth.org
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