The children had prepared special routines, dances and songs for Mother India

Pujya Swamiji and Sadhvi Abhaji with all of the actors after the show.

August 19 -- Delhi
A large function was organized in Delhi by the Academy of Performing Arts, London and India Heritage Research Foundation (www.ihrf.com,  the foundation of which Pujya Swamiji is the founder/chairman) at the famous Kamani Auditorium in honor of the tsunami relief work being done by IHRF.  The show was a divine dance performance by Pallavi Saran Mathur, one of India's Bharatnatyam's rising stars, who has also been actively involved in IHRF's tsunami work. She has worked as a manual laborer in the orphanage being built by IHRF and has also given eight charity performances in USA & UK that raised funds for our 100-house re-constructed village of Pannithittu, Pondicherry (built with the generosity of Rotary International, Sadeh Lok, UK and numerous other generous donors around the world).

August 21-22 -- Tsunami Affected Areas
Prior to leaving for abroad, Pujya Swamiji returned to see the progress of work in our 3 main tsunami projects - the 100 home village in Pannithittu, Pondicherry, the 350 home village in Pattincheri, Pondicherry (being constructed through the generosity of Shri LN Mittal) and  the orphanage & home for widowed/abandoned ladies in Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu. All projects are progressing excellently, with the grace of God.

August 23 -- Kanchipuram
Prior to leaving for abroad, Pujya Swamiji went to have the darshan and blessings of H.H. Pujya Sri Shankaracharyaji of Kanchi Kaam Koti.

	Pujya Swamiji with H.H. Pujya Sri Shankaracharyaji of Kanchi Kaam Koti. Pujya Sri Shankaracharyaji blessed Pujya Swamiji with a special shawl

August 24 -- Singapore
Pujya Swamiji stopped in Singapore for one day where He gave 2 beautiful pravachans, one at a private home, mainly for Singaporeans and Westerners and a second at the Singapore Jain Religious Society's Sthanak (the holy place of worship) mainly for Indians. 

August 25 - September -- Kyoto, Japan
Pujya Swamiji was a delegate to the Assembly of the World Conference of Religions for Peace in Kyoto, Japan. The WCRP which has been in operation since 1970 hosts Assemblies every five years in which they call the top leaders of the world's religions together for a several day assembly on bringing peace to the world. There were plenary sessions, break-out sessions, sessions organized according to religion, sessions organized according to region of the world, and a variety of talks and workshops on different aspects of peace. Further, the WCRP works constantly and consistently between the times of these Assemblies to bring peace and alleviate poverty in as many ways and as many places as possible (see www.wcrp.org for more details).

Pujya Swamiji and Sadhvi Bhagwati with the delegation from Japan

The Assembly was co-organized and co-sponsored this time by Inner Trip Reiyukai International, a beautiful international spiritual organization based in Japan and inspired by Kakutaro Kubo, and founded by Mrs. Setsko Nakanishi and currently headed by Mr. Hiroshi Matsumoto.

	Clockwise from top: Pujya Swamiji with Dr. William Vendley, Secretary General, with the delegation from Japan, and with Rabbi David Rosen

Pujya Swamiji with Ela Gandhi, the granddaughter of Mahatma Gandhi
and with a team from ITRI with one of Japan's most famous artists

Pujya Swamiji and the Chief Rabbi of Israel	Pujya Swamiji and  the Grand Mufti of Bosnia embrace

	Meeting with other delegates of other religions and nationalities

During the Assembly, ITRI had a special lunch for the Hindu and Buddhist leaders from India and Thailand. It was a beautiful lunch in traditional Japanese style, pure vegetarian of course! Each of the spiritual leaders as well as the heads of ITRI shared words of inspiration and upliftment.

	Pujya Swamiji with Mae-Chee Sanasanee Sthirasuta of Sathira Dhammasathan, Bangkok; with other Buddhist Monks from Thailand, with Lalit Bakshi and ITRI leaders

	During the days there, the organizers also took all participants on a sightseeing tour of the historic and beautiful temples of Kyoto.     here, at the Golden Temple

	Pujya Swamiji in the beautiful gardens and inside the temples

We had a special Japanese meditative tea-ceremony performed by the Chief Priest of the temple. It was beautiful to see the concentration, tradition and detail with which the smallest aspect of the mixing, pouring and drinking of tea is performed. It was a true lesson in "living meditation."

The Chief Priest also took us on a tour of the temple, showing Pujya Swamiji the zhazan meditation room and the sacred rock gardens.

	The Chief Priest shows Pujya Swamiji the rock gardens

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During Pujya Swamiji's time there he also met with Mrs. Setsko Nakanishi the founder of ITRI and one of the greatest spiritual leaders of Japan who is now nearly 100 years old. This divine, beautiful woman and Pujya Swamiji could speak even a sentence of the same language but they communicated perfectly in the language of love and divinity.

 

Kyoto, Japan
Divine Soul Hikaru Hashimoto the head of Fitness-Yoga, a company that has over 200 yoga teachers under its wings to spread the message of yoga throughout Japan, organized a small satsang session with Pujya Swamiji and Japanese yoga students in Kyoto.

	The satsang was held at one of the beautiful Buddhist temples of Kyoto.

	Pujya Swamiji giving the satsang, with Japanese translation

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The whole group on the steps of the temple

Tokyo, Japan,
After the programs in Kyoto, Pujya Swamiji came to Tokyo at the request of Hikaru to give satsang and teachings to the yoga teachers of Tokyo.  So many of the teachers learned aspects of inner yoga and the deep meaning of yoga in daily life.

Pujya Swamiji was urged to return soon to Japan for an even longer retreat program.

	Giving Satsangs in Fitness Yoga Center in Tokyo

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		Hikaru's beautiful daughter gave Pujya Swamiji a poem she had written and He blessed her and the whole family.

 

With a group of yoga teachers after a satsang at Fitness Yoga

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September 4 -- Hollywood, USA
On the 4th September, Pujya Swamiji gave a beautiful program at Golden Bridge Yoga in Hollywood, California, USA. As the date was Labor Day (a holiday celebrated in USA) the theme of His talk was "How to live in love not labor" and He spoke about how when we have Divine Love in our lives, when we're connected to God then every day is filled with inspiration rather than perspiration. It was a beautiful talk which concluded with showing the divine Ganga Aarti.

The audience was filled with approximately 500 westerners, mostly people living and working in Hollywood in various aspects of the movie/TV business. It is beautiful to see the way that they are so touched and transformed by Pujya Swamiji's words and message. The line for prasad and individual darshan stretched so long after the program as everyone wanted the opportunity to come and receive His divine darshan.

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Also, after the program we had a great talk by Paris Baillie about becoming a vegetarian. Paris is only 11 years old but is a dedicated and committed vegetarian. Inspired by Pujya Swamiji, she prepared and delivered a beautiful speech on how she became a vegetarian and why it is the right choice for anyone who cares about the planet, all the starving people in the world, the pain of animals and even their own health. Paris brought 2 of her friends on stage also whom she had already converted to vegetarianism! We are sure that Paris will continue to inspire people wherever she goes!

	Paris Baillie gives her great speech; Pujya Swamiji blesses all with divine words

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	September 6 -- Esalen, Big Sur Pujya Swamiji was invited to be a guest speaker at the world famous Esalen Institute in Big Sur, California, one of the most famous centers for spiritualism, philosophy, personal growth, meditation, yoga, etc. which has been transforming people's bodies, minds and hearts for forty years!   Our mini-yatra drove from Los Angeles up the gorgeous coast of California, and reached Big Sur in the afternoon.

	The Pacific Ocean, and beautiful coastline drive

	Pujya Swamiji gives strawberries as prasad after the program

The following morning, prior to leaving Big Sur, we stopped at the bakery owned by Michael (The "Big Sir of Big Sur" as Pujya Swamiji has nicknamed him, as he had requested Pujya Swamiji to bless it on the way.

September 7 -- San Francisco
 
Pujya Swamiji gave a talk at the huge yoga center called Yoga Tree in the Castro District of San Francisco. The program was organized by Chris Miglino

	Pujya Swamiji speaks to the crowd of eager and inspired seekers, and after the program he gave a special flower to the divine daughter of the owner of Yoga Tree.

 

 

September 22-- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pujya Swamiji gave a beautiful talk at the Hindu Jain Temple in Monroeville, PA, the temple of which He is the founder and still the presiding Swamiji.

September 23-25-- Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Pujya Swamiji spent 2 days in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania at the home of Hasubhai and Harshaben Shah. Shri Hasubhai is the President of IHRF - USA. On the 24th we had an IHRF Board Meeting in which all of IHRF's divine projects for humanity were discussed (see www.ihrf.com for more details or to be on the USA mailing list please send your mailing address to ihrf@ihrf.com). The meeting took place in the new offices of the Harsha Enterprises, right on the river. Pujya Swamiji did a special blessing for the office as well, and then in the evening, He had a beautiful satsang at the home of Shri KD Patel.

	The IHRF Board of Trustees meets in Harrisburg at the office of IHRF President, Shri Hasu Shah

After the meeting, we all gathered together for a group photo.

	Pujya Swamiji sits in Shri Hasubhai's new chair in his brand new office to bless it.

At home Pujya Swamiji also spent time with all 3 generations of the Shah family -- Neil and Juhi and their brand new daughter, and Jay & Susie with their beautiful twins

(left) Pujya Swamiji with Shri Hasubhai, Hershaben, Neil, Juhi and the new divine child.
(right) Pujya Swamiji with the beautiful twin children of Jay and Susie Shah, Avi and Aryana

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September 26 -- New York
Pujya Swamiji gave a small, special retreat in Long Island for a group of people of the Jewish faith during the holy time of the Jewish holidays, Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. The retreat was about how to bring the messages of these holidays into our daily lives. It was a divine day and culminated in a sacred yagna ceremony where everyone gave all of their grudges, anger, pain, challenges, temptations and obstacles to the sacred, divine fire (as a symbol of the Divine). The retreat was lovingly organized by Lily Bafandi of Switzerland and took place at the home of Diana Rabbani.

	The satsang took place outside, in the beautiful sunshine in Diana's backyard.

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Pujya Swamiji delivers His beautiful satsang	Pujya Swamiji blesses Diana and Shahram Rabani

September 28-29 -- Dubai and Abu Dhabi
Pujya Swamiji traveled to UAE for 2 days. He spent one day in Dubai at the home of Divine Souls Rameshji and Ashaji Goenka where a beautiful program was organized at the Indian Consulate. 

(left): Pujya Swamiji garlands Smt. Ashaji

(right): The lamp is lit by Shri Rameshji and Shri Mahendrabhai Patel

		Ramesh Goenkaji delivers a beautiful welcome and thanks to everyone.

He then traveled to Abu Dhabi as the guest of the Indian Ambassador, Shri C.M. Bhandariji who organized a full day worth of satsangs and programs.  The Honorable Sheik Nahyan, the Minister of Higher Education, invited Pujya Swamiji care of Shri Bhandariji to be his guest at the Iftar ceremony which is the grand way in which the Muslims break their fast during Ramadan at sunset. It is a huge feast. Pujya Swamiji accepted the invitation and it was a beautiful occasion of a Hindu leader and Muslim leaders coming together in a spirit of love and celebration.

 

	In the huge Iftar banquet hall, Pujya Swamiji was seated at the head of the table, next to the Honorable Sheikh

Of course Pujya Swamiji did not eat the dinner due to the food not being vegetarian, but He said that He filled Himself up with the love, comraderie and hospitality of the Honorable Sheikh. Also, the Honorable Sheikh lovingly served Pujya Swamiji dates and lemon water. Following the Iftar, a large function was organized for Pujya Swamiji at the Indian Social Center of Abu Dhabi.

	Pujya Swamiji is greeted by the Honorable Sheikh and taken to the head of the table where the Honorable Sheikh lovingly serves him

	Pujya Swamiji and Hon. Sheikh Nahyan share each other's company

Before Pujya Swamiji's return to Dubai, Shri Bhandariji took Him to see the Emirates Palace hotel, made of gold on the beach. Although Pujya Swamiji was not so interested in the gold leaf of the hotel, He loved the water fountains in the front and sat for awhile in meditation in the beautiful atmosphere

 

Shri Bhandariji had also organized a cozy satsang at his own residence at the Consulate in the afternoon which was followed by Pujya Swamiji's brief visit to bless the doctors of the free Sai Baba medical camp. These divine devotees of Sai Baba were offering free medical care (at the Consulate, due to the organization and generosity of Shri Bhandariji) to all the poor, local laborers. When Pujya Swamiji visited with the hall-full of patients, He gave them a beautiful and inspiring talk about how to stay healthy. "I have lived 55 years without any tobacco or alcohol and I am not only in perfect physical health but I'm happy, joyful and love life. You do not need tobacco or alcohol to enjoy your lives. In fact, they ruin your lives. See, you're spending a beautiful day stuck here inside this room waiting to see a doctor rather than outside enjoying your life."  Then He asked them all who was ready to give it up. Many of the patients raised their hands. Pujya Swamiji held out His shawl as though He were asking for alms and collected all of the bad habits of the patients. "I will take them back to Mother Ganga," He told the patients whose eyes were tear-filled, "And you will be free."

 

At the home of Hon. Shri CM Bhandariji, the Ambassador and with Shri Bhandariji and his daughter, Samahita

	Pujya Swamiji addresses the patients at the clinic and accepts their weaknesses, habits & vices

To read the details of Pujya Swamiji's trip to UAE prepared eloquently by the Honorable Ambassador, Shri CM Bhandariji, please click here.  

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