9. A play ground for the children, with sports equipment, including swings, slide, merry-go-round, jungle-gym, etc. (this is already completed)

	Joy, light, laughter and smiles returned to the faces of the children

10. Medical Relief Centers at each of these community centers

11. Distribution of necessities such as food, water, clothing, candles, stoves, cooking supplies, shoes, sheets, etc. (this has already been completed in two huge scale distributions to more than 4000 people each time)

	Each person received their extensive provisions with dignity, love and respect

	12. Free Eye Camp and Cataract Operation Camp: more than 600 villagers were examined, nearly 100 new pairs of glasses were distributed and nearly 40 free cataract operations were performed on site. (Completed on January 9)

13. Two large tree plantation ceremonies in memory of all those who lost their lives in the tragedy and also as a physical barrier against any future tidal waves. Eventually, we will plant 2,51,000 trees, one for every person whose life was lost in the tsunami.
14. Purchase of prosthetic limbs for anyone who needs them and we are also organizing specialized medical camps.
 

	15. Drinking water tanks in many places throughout the village (this was completed)

16. Gardens in the housing complex (in progress)
17. Counseling for the village people (this is ongoing and underway)
18. Seven Bal Vadies schools to be repaired and supplies given.
19. Temple renovation and repair.

		The faces of the children and the village people have become filled with light and hope

Musical Healing: On the 15th January a special musical concert was organized, where Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji's devotee, the world famous drummer Sivamani came with his entire orchestra and gave a wonderful drumming concert for the entire village. Spirits soared and hope was renewed through the sound of music. Thousands and thousands of villagers came out to hear the uplifting sound of Sivamani's drums.

New Projects:

ORPHANAGE IN CUDDALORE
We are adopting a dilapidated and run-down service center in which 200 impoverished girls/ladies live. They have no dining facilities (they sleep, eat and study in the same hall) and all other facilities are sparse or worse.  On the adjacent land, we will build an orphanage for all children orphaned by the tsunami. We will also build a full dining hall, a computer center, a typing center, a vocational training center and other facilities for the girls/ladies in the social service center, as well as renovate and repair the existing women’s service center. We will create a place where both the children and also the girls/women will benefit greatly.

	The existing social service center is run down and dilapidated

The foundation laying ceremony for this project took place on the 16 February by the hands of the Honorable Governor of Tamil Nadu with the Honorable Governor of Uttranchal and the Honorable Lt. Governor of Pondicherry and other dignitaries.

The foundation laying ceremony for this project took place on the 16 February by the hands of the Honorable Governor of Tamil Nadu with the Honorable Governor of Uttranchal and the Honorable Lt. Governor of Pondicherry and other dignitaries

MODEL VILLAGE IN PONDICHERRY
We have also undertaken the project of constructing 450 new homes in Patancheri in Karaikkal, the largest village of Pondicherry Territory which was the most devastated by the tsunami, for the victims of the tsunami.

		Meeting with the Honorable Lt. Governor of Pondicherry, Lt. General M.M. Lakheraji in Raj Bhavan, Pondicherry

Along with the 450 new homes, we will also construct a school, gardens, community center, vocational training center, medical center, etc. With the gracious assistance and support of the entire government of Pondicherry, we will truly create a model village for these people. 

		A house in Patancheri....the water was so strong and deadly that it shot up through the brick and concrete FLOOR of the house, tearing apart the entire floor as well as the inside of the house.... the villagers were truly washed away, from the inside out.

January 18 -- Rishikesh
A very special ceremony was held in honor of the passing of the Great Saint, the one who brought Sikh Dharma to the west and who turned thousands of westerners off of drugs/alcohol and onto spirituality - Siri Singh Sahib Yogi Bhajan. Pujya Yogiji entered mahasamadhi in October, and in January a huge yatra of devotees from across the world brought his sacred ashes to India. The yatra came to Rishikesh on the 18 January for the divine puja and final rites ceremony.  

January 24 - 30 - Rishikesh

We had a special medical camp in honor of the anniversary of the passing of Mahatma Gandhi (January 30). Gandhiji's message was selflessness, giving and sacrifice. In honor of this beautiful message, a team of doctors and dentists came from Canada and USA and from Escorts Heart Institute New Delhi to provide selfless service to the needy people of the Himalayan region.

	The inauguration of the medical camp; The team from Canada led by Dr. Rajiv Naik

The Canadian Dental team consisted of 5 dentists, 5 dental hygienists, 3 nurses as well as assistants. They came led by Dr. Rajiv Naik and the Kindness in Action group. They saw over 325 patients, filled cavities in 60% of the patients and extracted teeth in 40% of the patients. Everyone received a full and thorough hygienic cleaning.

The Escorts huge team came fully equipped with all of their heart monitoring instruments, and gave screening, testing, diagnosis and treatment to hundreds of patients. 

	Doctors, hygienists and nurses examined and treated over 325 patients during the course of 5 days.

	They even examined all of our rishikumars

January 26 -- Dehradun
On the special day of India's Republic Day, Pujya Swamiji was invited to the Governor's for a special Republic Day program with His Excellency the Governor of Uttranchal Shri Sudarshan Agarwal and His Excellency the Chief Minister of Uttranchal Shri Narayan Dutt Tiwariji.

While there, he shared with the Honorable Governor all of the details of the work in the tsunami affected areas and the Honorable Governor was so touched that he said, "I wish I had wings to fly there right now and help those people. " On February 15, the Governor did come down, surveyed the situation, and pledged his support and assistance.

January 27 -- Rishikesh
A divine couple sanctified their wedding vows, here on the holy banks of Mother Ganga. Prithviraj Oberoi (brother of Vivek Oberoi) and Alpa Parmar had their sacred wedding performed here, in the middle of the waters of Mother Ganga, in the lap of the Himalayas.

	Puja on the banks of Mother Ganga and then feeding the rishikumars and all the ashramites

	Clockwise from top: Pujya Swamiji blesses the groom and family just before the wedding;  the wedding ceremony

		What a beautiful gift - to be married in such a divine atmosphere, in the midst of the rushing waters of Mother Ganga, in the holy presence of Pujya Swamiji, in the lap of the Himalayas....at the holy feet of Shankar Bhagwan...

In the evening, the Honorable Governor of Uttranchal, Shri Sudarshan Agarwalji came for a special aarti!

	Lamp is lit by (left to right): Suresh Oberoi, Mrs. Sudarshan Agarwal, Vivek Oberoi, Pujya Swamiji, Honorable Shri Sudarshan Agarwal

January 28-30 -- Rishikesh

Hindu Heritage Pratisthan

Every year, the Hindu Heritage Pratisthan camp comes here 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 are studying in classrooms and universities, but for these 3 days they come and experience the culture and spirituality of India.

One hundred twenty five students came to Parmarth Niketan on the morning of the 28 January 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. 

January 28 -- Dehradun

Pujya Swamiji and Vivek Oberoi traveled to Dehradun on the 28th, at the invitation of the Honorable Governor to go and discuss about the tsunami relief work and other projects.

	Meeting at Raj Bhavan; the Honorable Governor gives Vivek a beautiful picture of Uttranchal

January 29- February 1 South India - Tsunami affected areas

Pujya Swamiji, Vivek Oberoi, Sadhvi Bhagwati and Rishikumars from Parmarth's Gurukul traveled again back down to the Tsunami affected areas to follow up on the work there.

February 4-5 -- Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh

Pujya Swamiji has started the divine Ganga Aarti in Rishikesh, in Badrinath and in Allahabad. Now, on this sacred day, organized by Divine Soul Shri Sandeep Gupta, owner of Dainik Jagran newspaper, Pujya Swamiji inaugurated Ganga Aarti in Kanpur. Shri Sandeepji and his family had been so touched by the beautiful Ganga Aarti at Parmarth Niketan that they did all of the leg work to organize and plan for a daily Ganga Aarti in Kanpur.

Pujya Swamiji and the Honorable Home Minister were the Chief Guests.

Then, on the 5 February, there was the official release of a new excellent book on Mt. Kailash, Lake Mansarovar and the yatra by Shri Sandeep Gupta. Shri Sandeepji and his divine wife Smt. Manjariji joined our yatra to Mansarovar and Mt. Kailash in July 2003. Sandeepji took gorgeous photographs and returned to write a beautiful, provocative, compelling, inspiring and uplifting book on this holy land and the holy journey.  For more information or to order a copy of the book, please contact sandeep@jagran.com

February 14-21 South India - Tsunami affected areas

We travelled again back down to Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry to follow up with the work in each of the places.

On February 16 we drove with the Honorable Governor of Pondicherry down to Karaikkal to see the land where we will build the model village. We surveyed the area, talked to the local officials and set plans in motion for the full village which will include 450 new homes, a community center, a school, parks and gardens, vocational training center and much more.

Then, on the 16th afternoon we had the official groundbreaking ceremony for the new orphanage we are building in Cuddalore and for the Ladies Social Service center which we've adopted. The service center was dilapidated and run-down and has 200 impoverished girls/ladies living there. They have no dining facilities (they sleep, eat and study in the same hall) and all other facilities are sparse or worse.  We will build a full dining hall, a computer center, a typing center, a vocational training center and other facilities for the girls/ladies in the social service center, as well as renovate and repair the existing women’s service center. We will create a place where both the children and also the girls/women will benefit greatly.

The Foundation stone laying ceremony was graced by the presence of 3 Governors!! The Honorable Governor of Tamil Nadu, Shri S.S. Barnalaji, The Honorable Governor of Uttranchal, Shri Sudarshan Agarwal and the Honorable Lt. Governor of Pondicherry Gen. M.M. Lakhera.

February 24 - Rishikesh

We had the official inauguration for the computer centre in the Gurukul when Bellaben and Yogeshbhai Patel came to Parmarth. They are the generous sponsors of the entire computer centre! They were so thrilled to see the rishikumars learning computers. A special prayer was said that the rishikumars will grow, blossom and bridge the gap between the ancient traditions of the Himalayas and the modern technology of the computer age.

	Bellaben performs the puja for the computers and the children show what they're learning

	Pujya Swamiji expressed His great appreciation to Bellaben, Yogeshbhai and Nimit for their boundless generosity in providing computer education and so much more to our rishikumars. .

 

FILM ON PUJYA SWAMIJI & HIS TEACHINGS:

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

 

 

	Bathing in Ganga at Parmarth

Itinerary for Pujya Swamiji  for March - May 2005 March April May 1-31 Rishikesh 1-3 Rishikesh 1-5 Pittsburgh     5-6 Hong Kong 7-9 London, UK     8-10 Los Angeles 11 Rishikesh     13-14 San Francisco         16 Tampa, Florida         17-18 Columbus, Ohio         19-20 Detroit         24-25 Louisville, KY         26 Philadelphia         30 Harrisburg, PA     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.

Links to RECENT Newsletters Special 50th Jayanti of Pujya Swamiji April - May 2004 Mansarovar Special - July 2003 June - July  2004 March 2004 August - September  2004 Please click on www.parmarth.com/updates.htm for links to all previous updates and Divine Messages   *Click here to download books by Pujya Swamiji   Contact Information: Phone: (0135)  2440088, 2434301 Fax: (0135)) 2440066 From abroad, dial: + (91-135) instead of (0135) Email: parmarth@aol.com; info@parmarth.com Homepage: www.parmarth.com, www.ihrf.com