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July
31
-- Mussoorie
Founders� Day at Mussoorie International
School: Pujya Swamiji and Pujya Swami Satyamitranandji were
the Chief Guests at the annual Founders� Day function of
Mussoorie International School. This year was a particurarly
special and large function as it marked the 60th
birthday of Shri Hasmukh Rawalji, the Founder and Principal
of MIS.
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Pujya Swamiji performs purnahuti of the yagna
and gives an inspiring lecture
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August
8
-- Rishikesh
Shri
Ashwini Luthraji, Chief Commissioner of
Income Tax, Uttranchal came to Parmarth Niketan
to perform the divine Ganga Aarti and also to
seek Pujya Swamiji�s blessings and satsang.
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August
12
-- Rishikesh
Raksha Bhandan: This beautiful ceremony
was celebrated with great love at Parmarth Niketan as all of
the girls and women tied rakhi bracelets on their brothers
� both brothers by blood and also brothers by heart.
The day concluded with a sacred
abhishek ceremony as it also coincided with the final day of
Shravan Month. Pujya Sri Shankaracharyaji, Swami Divyanand
Teerthji, Bhanpura Peeth spent his time of Chaturmas on the
holy banks of Mother Ganga at Parmarth Niketan, and graced
us all with his darshan and satsang daily. The purnahuti of
the abhishek was performed by Pujya Swamiji and by Pujya
Shankaracharyaji.
Click
here for Pujya Swamiji's message on Raksha Bandhan
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On this day it was also announced that
our Mataji, previously known as Smt. Pratibha Joshi was now
given
the name of Sadhvi Abha Saraswati, as she took the
official Sanyas diksha from
Pujya Swamiji in the holy land
of Mansarovar on the
sacred day of Guru Purnima.
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As the Sanyas ceremony had been
performed on the full moon day, Pujya Swamiji and Pujya
Shankaracharyaji Swami Divyanand Teerthji waited until the
next full moon to officially announce her new name.
August
15
-- Rishikesh
India�s Independence Day. To mark
this special occasion, the children at the Parmarth Gurukul/orphanage
gave a beautiful yoga demonstration.
Click
here for Pujya Swamiji's message on India's Independence Day.
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The demonstration was
particularly impressive as the children had only been
studying yoga for under 2 months.
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In addition to the impressive yoga
demonstration, August 15 was also the �Oath-Taking
Ceremony� for the Prefects and Prefect Masters at the
Gurukul. The children selected to undertake this important
responsibility had a sacred oath taking ceremony in the
presence of Pujya Swamiji as well as with the special
presence of H.H. Sri Shankaracharyaji Swami Divyanand
Teerthji, Bhanpura Peeth and H.H. Swami Harinarayanandji,
the General Secretary for Bharat Sadhu Samaj.
H.H. Sri Shankaracharyaji invested the
children with their sash of �prefect� and they took
solemn oaths over the holy Deepak flames.
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In addition, the revered saints gave
inspiring and uplifting messages to the now 180 children who
form the Parmarth Gurukul/orphanage.
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Late in the month, the Rishikumars also
went on to win the Rishikesh Interschool Championship in
Karate!
August
20
-- Rishikesh:
Janmasthami � Bhagwan Krishna�s Birthday. A special puja
and bhajan/kirtan program was held in the Satsang Hall until
the sacred hour of midnight marking the hour when Bhagwan Krishna
appeared on Earth!
Click here for Pujya Swamiji�s message on Janmasthami.
August
23
-- Veerpur:
Special guests Nalini and Kamalini, the world renowned
dancers, came to Parmarth to have the darshan of Mother
Ganga and Pujya Swamiji. They accompanied Pujya Swamiji to
the new land in Veerpur where there was a special function
at the local school in Pujya Swamiji's honor.
September
4
-- Vrindavan:
Pujya Swamiji was a Chief Guest at the special celebration
in honor of the 110th birth centenary of the world famous
bhajan singer Binduji Maharaj
The celebration was held in Vrindavan.
Pujya Swamiji, Pujya Swami
Chinmayanandji and H.E. Shri Vishnu Kant Shastriji, the Governor of Uttar
Pradesh were the Chief Guests.
September
9
-- Veerpur:
Official Inauguration Ceremony and opening of Parmarth
Gurukul, Veerpur
At the hands of H.H. Sri Shankaracharya
Swami Divyanand Teerthji, Bhanpura Peeth the Parmarth
Gurukul in Veerpur was official opened. Forty rishikumars
from Parmarth Gurukul/orphanage have shifted to Veerpur
where they will continue their studies and also lead Ganga
Aarti for the local people.
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(clockwise
from top): Pujya Swamiji takes H.H. Sri
Shankaracharyaji on a round to see the land. A
large tree plantation program took place. the
main function included also the blessings and
presence of H.H. Swami Asanganandji Maharaj and
was attended by all the local people as well as
village heads.
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The divine land of Veerpur
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A large function was held with H.H. Sri
Shankaracharyaji, Pujya Swami Asanganandji, Pujya Swami
Chidanandji and Pujya Rasyani Babaji as well as the local
village "pradhan" (village head) and the local
villagers where the first Ganga Aarti was performed.
There was also a special tree
plantation ceremony and the ground has been readied for
plantation of more organic fruits and vegetables.
The medicinal garden is growing
beautifully and is going to be shifted to a larger area of
land.
In the future, a new vocational
training program will also start there. We are already
running many women's vocational training programs throughout
the Himalayas, which teach sewing, handicrafts, tailoring,
music, dance and also adult education. However, this will
the first men's vocational training program where carpentry,
handiwork and electricity will be taught.
Thanks to all of the donors who are
helping to make this dream a reality and a special thanks to
Shri Chandru Ramani for his great generosity in assisting
with every area of the project.
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Rishikumars
and guests walk in the garden; Pujya Swamiji
walks with the local sevaks, giving
inspiration for the next phase
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September
14-16
-- Rishikesh:
Himalayan Shakti Conference - the Himalayan Parivar
organized a conference for the protection and conservation
of the Himalayas - focused on women -- titled "Himalayi
Mahila Chetna Sammelan". The conference brought women
from every area of the Himalayas together to discuss aspects
ranging from environmental protection to unity to
preservation of the culture. The conference also focused on
the problems being faced by women in the Himalayan villages
and how these problems can be ameliorated.
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Shri
Indresh Kumarji, Shri B.S. Koshyariji, Lama
Jyotpa and Swami Chiranjeev Puriji at the
aarti.
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The conference had over 500
participants and included such dignitaries as Shri Indresh
Kumarji, Shri B.S. Koshyariji, the former Chief Minister of
Uttranchal, Smt. Jaswant Kaur Mina, State Minister - India
for Human Resources and Development, and Shri Bachchi Singh
Rawat, State Science and Technology Minister. Further, Lama C. Jyotpa the Vice Chairman,
Minorities Commission of India and Swami Chiranjeev Puri of
Kurukshetra also blessed the event with their
presence.
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Pujya
Swamiji gives Mansarovar jal and prasad to Shri
Koshyariji (left) and Shri Indresh Kumarji
(right)
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The conference began on the 14 September
with a divine Ganga Aarti. Then, on the 15th morning
there was a special yagna for the protection and
preservation of the Himalayas and also for the
strength and health of the women of the Himalayas. |
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Following the yagna, the main
function was inaugurated. Pujya Swamiji, Shri
Indresh Kumarji and several other ministers and
dignitaries gave beautiful speeches about the
importance of the land, the history, the culture
of the Himalayas and also about the crucial role
that women have to play in the preservation of
not only the Himalayas but in the preservation
of the entire culture and country of
India.
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The full day of speakers and technical
sessions was again followed by a divine Ganga Yagna and
Aarti.
PROJECT UPDATE:
PARMARTH GURUKUL
COMPUTER CENTER
By the generosity of Smt. Bellaben and
Shri Yogeshbhai Patel, a first class computer center is
being built at the Parmarth Gurukul/orphanage. It has been a
vision of Pujya Swamiji's that the boys should learn this
important skill which will be a great asset in helping them
succeed in whatever field they choose. The computer center
should be up and running within the next month.
MANSAROVAR WEBSITE:
A new website has been created for the
Kailash/Mansarovar Projects and yatra. The site offers
details of the significance of both Kailash and Mansarovar
as well as updates on the projects India Heritage Research
Foundation is running, under Pujya Swamiji's guidance,
blessings and inspiration. Further, the details and photos
of the yatra are also there.
The site was lovingly created by Andrea
Levin during her time at Parmarth Niketan in July/August
2003.
See
www.kailashmansarovar.org
If you missed the update of our Divine
Yatra to Mansarovar and Mt. Kailash please go to www.parmarth.com/updates/july2003/index.html
to have the divine darshan of Mansarovar, Mt.
Kailash and all of the revered saints and 200 devotees from
all over the world who undertook this yatra together.
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