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February 1 - 12
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Porbandar,
Gujarat
Pujya Swamiji traveled to Porbandar,
Gujarat for the Mandir Mahotsav of the Sandipani Ashram,
headed by Pujya Sant Shri Rameshbhai Oza. 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.
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Clockwise from top:
Pujya Swamiji lights the lamp with Pujya
Bhaishri to inaugurate the medical and
publication department; the
official temple shikhar kalash ceremony with Pujya Swami Gurusharananandji |
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Right to
left: Pujya Hansdasji, Pujya Swamiji, Pujya Swami
Gurusharananandji, Pujya Bhaishri, Pujya Swami Avichal
Dasji
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..
(right to left): Pujya Swami
Hansdasji, Pujya Swamiji, Pujya Swami Gurusharananandji,
Pujya Deviprasad Bapuji, Pujya Bhaishri
February 13
--
Bodh Gaya
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.
Pujya Swamiji on the stage with His Holiness the Dalai Lama,
other revered Buddhist monks, Ven. Sumedha Theroji, Ven.
Rewatha Theroji and Dr. B.K. Modiji
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Pujya Swamiji and Dr.
Bhupendra Kumar Modiji had a special meeting
with His Holiness the Dalai Lama during the
visit to Bodh Gaya. |
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While there, Pujya
Swamiji and Dr. Bhupendra Kumar Modiji also
had meetings with the Chief Justice of the
Supreme Court of Sri Lanka. |
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February
15-16--
Tsunami
Affected Areas
On February 14, Pujya
Swamiji flew down to the tsunami affected areas where
Project Hope is in the midst of extensive tsunami relief
work (see
www.projecthope-tsunami.com). On December 13 we had
the official inauguration of the 100 reconstructed
houses of Pannithittu village of Pondicherry, by the
hands of the Honorable Governor of Tamil Nadu, the
Honorable Governor of Uttranchal and the Honorable Lt.
Governor of Pondicherry. See
www.parmarth.com/updates/decjan06 for details.
However, Project Hope
pledged to do more for the villagers than just rebuild
the 100 houses which were destroyed in the tsunami. We
also pledged to build an extension to their school, a
community center, a vocational training center, a
computer center and a medical clinic.
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Bhoomi puja was performed by the
Honorable Lt. Governor, Pujya Swamiji, Smt.
Bellaben Patel & Yogeshbhai Patel, Drs.
Naval and Nila Kant, and Sarojben &
Maheshbhai Patel
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The bhoomi puja for
these amenities took place on the 16 February by the
hands of the Honorable Lt. Governor of Pondicherry with
Pujya Swamiji. The bhoomi puja was also performed by Smt.
Bellaben and Shri Yogeshbhai Patel of Tampa, Florida,
USA who have been great, generous supporters of Project
Hope's work including sponsoring the construction of an
orphanage and home for widowed/abandoned ladies with Dr.
Kiranbhai Patel's Patel Foundation of Tampa, Florida,
USA.
Further, the divine
event was attended by Drs. Naval and Nila Kant of
Lewisburgh, Pennsylvania, USA who are one of the longest
and staunchest supporters of Pujya Swamiji and IHRF in
USA. Dr. Navalji is also vice-president of IHRF.
Also in attendance were Shri Maheshbhai and Smt. Sarojben Patel of
Kitchener, Canada. Smt. Sarojben Patel is the treasurer and
secretary for IHRF-Canada.
After the bhoomi puja,
we had a huge free lunch where hot lunch was served to
all the villagers, and we also had a widescale
distribution of living necessities for all villagers.
At the time that we
were in Pannithittu for the bhoomi puja, we also
traveled to cuddalore to see the site of the orphanage
we are constructing, along with renovating the home for
widows/abandoned children. There, with the great
dedication of the Patel Foundation and Bellaben and
Yogeshbhai Patel, we are building not only living
facilities for the orphans, but also a school, computer
center, vocational training center and a beautiful
kitchen/dining facilities to be used both by the
hundreds of orphans and also the 200 widows/abandoned
ladies.
Back side view of the new dining hall
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(clockwise from top): dining hall from
front; distribution of oranges to the
ladies; construction of school rooms and
dormitory facilities underway
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Construction work is
going on very well. The overly heavy monsoon season had
impeded the work for awhile during the winter months but
now it is in full swing.
Pujya Swamiji holds one of the young
orphan children
We also distributed
necessary provisions to the ladies as well as fruit and
sweets to the children. Then, Bellaben was so touched
and filled with love for the ladies that she decided to
sponsor new sarees for all of them. Thus, the following
day we returned to distribute brand new sarees to all
the ladies.
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Bellaben spoke to all the ladies
about how fortunate they are that this project has been
undertaken by Pujya Swamiji and how they, in their own
lives, can achieve so much, accomplish so much and reach
any height. She filled them with great hope and
enthusiasm. |
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Distribution of sarees
February 17
--
Bangalore
Pujya Swamiji was a
special guest at the 25th anniversary Silver Jubilee
Celebrations of the Art of Living and the 50th Birthday
of Sri Sri Ravi Shankarji.
The program began in
the morning with a beautiful yagna, and then in the
evening India's most revered saints came together to
address the huge gathering.
Pujya Swamiji, Pujya
Bhaishri and Pujya Sri Sri Ravi Shankarji discuss the
glorious event
Pujya Swamiji and Pujya Swami Ramdevji
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While at the function, Pujya
Swamiji also spoke to a Minister from Indonesia. Pujya
Swamiji had traveled to Bali on yatra in 2003 and they
shared thoughts and ideas of the common traditions
between India and Indonesia |
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February
18-19
--
Delhi
Pujya Swamiji was a
special guest at t he
wedding of Divine Soul Shri Sant Chatwalji's son Vikram
to Priya Sachdev. Pujya Swamiji blessed the couple with
a beautiful, special flower garland - big enough for two
-- and with His prayers for a blissful married life.
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 March - May 2006 |
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March |
April |
May |
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1-30 |
Rishikesh |
1 |
Tsunami affected areas |
1-3 |
Rishikesh |
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31 |
Tsunami affected areas |
2-3 |
Rishikesh |
5-7 |
South Africa |
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4-6 |
Haridwar |
9-10 |
Sri Lanka |
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8 |
Delhi |
12-30 |
Rishikesh |
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15-30 |
Rishikesh |
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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) 2440077,
2440088, 2434301 Fax: (0135)
2440066
From abroad, dial: + (91-135) instead of (0135)
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