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Surat
Surat, Dumas
Dumas
Dumas, Mumbai
Mumbai, Raipur (Chhattisgadh)
Raipur
Raipur, Bhuvaneshwar (Orissa), Cuttack
Cuttack, Banipat, Chakulia, Jagannathpuri
Jagannathpuri, Bhuvaneshwar, Kolkatta (Calcutta)
Kolkatta
Kolkatta, Nagpur (Maharashtra)
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- 2 June 2001
(V.S. 2057, Jeth Sud 11) Saturday, Surat, Cildren's Day
In the evening assembly,
the drama 'Charan Kamalna Ful' was performed. The drama described
the courageous stories of children-devotees who had remained
steadfast in their morals and faith amidst opposition and
enticements.
Finally Swamishri, in his blessings, underscored the virtues
of faith, devotion and morality with reference to stories
of children in the drama. 6,000 devotees availed of the special
Children's Day program.
- 3 June 2001
(V.S. 2057, Jeth Sud 12) Sunday, Surat
In the evening assembly,
Swamishri emphasized the importance of attending the Sunday
assembly:
"The 'Sunday Assembly' was introduced by Yogiji Maharaj.
It was his wish that everyone should come together and attend
the 'Sunday Assembly.' Initially he used to write postcards
to devotees regarding the assembly program of dhun, prayer
and reading of Vachnamrut and Swamini Vato. Then as the numbers
increased the weekly agenda was printed in the 'Patrika.'
He had also instructed that every devotee should have a home-mandir
in which arti and thal be performed. He insisted upon this
so that in doing our mundane activities we do not forget God.
"It was Yogiji Maharaj's instruction that one should
forfeit the profit of Rs.25,000 and attend the Sunday Assembly.
Through samagam one attains spiritual strength which solves
many of our problems ..."
- 6 June 2001
(V.S. 2057, Jeth Sud 15) Wednesday, Dumas, Mumbai
In the evening assembly,
the District Governor of the Rotary Club, Mumbai, Shri Kumar
Keval Ramani presented to Swamishri the 'Service Above Self'
award. Shri Kumar presented the silver plaque after reading
the letter of honor that acknowledged Swamishri's charity
and symbol of love towards man and God.
- 7 June 2001
(V.S. 2057, Jeth Vad 1) Thursday, Raipur (Chhattisgadh)
After a thrilling program
of bhajans by sadhus and youths, Swamishri crowned the evening
assembly with his divine blessings. He said, "One experiences
peace during bhajan. This is the power of singing God's glory.
Because of the day's work or business one's mind becomes agitated
and stressed. By coming to the mandir one's mind unwinds and
becomes relaxed. And it becomes more disturbed when you go
to the disco or club. So in coming to the mandir the tendency
of one's senses turn inwards, whereas in the other case it
comes out from within to pursue the material pleasures."
- 2 June 2001
(V.S. 2057, Jeth Vad 2) Friday, Raipur
Swamishri performed
the murti-pratishtha of Akshar Purushottam Maharaj, Radha
Krishna Dev and Guru Parampara at the newly built Swaminarayan
Mandir. The Governor Shri Dineshnandan Sahay and Mayor Shri
Tarun Chatterjee and other dignitaries attended the function.
- 10 June 2001
(V.S. 2057, Jeth Vad 4) Sunday, Cuttack, Banipat, Chakulia,
Jagannathpuri
- Swamishri left Jagannathpuri
and arrived in Chakulia at 9.50 a.m. by helicopter to
inaugurate the BAPS reconstructed cyclone-hit villages
of Banipat and Chakulia.
- Performed the murti-pratishtha
of the newly built Swaminarayan Mandir.
- Swamishri, Shri Divyasinghdev
(King of Jagannathpuri) and Chief Minister of Orissa -
Shri Naveen Patnaik, inaugurate the village of Banipat.
- Inauguration of a secondary
school, 'Shri Swaminarayan Vidyamandir', on the outskirts
of Chakulia by Swamishri and the Chief Minister.
- Inauguration assembly. 6000
people attended the function.
- Opening of Chakulia village
and primary school.
(see detailed
report)
- 11 June 2001
(V.S. 2057, Jeth Vad 5) Monday, Jagannathpuri, Bhuvaneshwar,
Kolkatta
- King's
Palace
At 8.15 am, Swamishri arrived at the palace of the king
of Jagannathpuri. He was welcomed at the main gate by
the king and led into his living room. The king bowed
and reverentially touched the feet of Swamishri. Then
he performed pujan of Hrikrishna Maharaj and Swamishri
amidst Vedic chantings by the palace Brahmins.
The king then explained the history of Jagannathpuri,
mandir and its kings.
- Jagannath
Mandir
Thereafter the king and Swamishri went to the Jagannath
Mandir. The darshan of the main murtis were closed for
15 days because it is believed that after the smearing
of chandan during the summer months, God becomes ill and
He therefore takes rest. During this time the devotees
do darshan of Bhagwan Jagannath's 10 forms that are installed
outside the sanctum doors. The king explained the importance
of the other shrines during the pradakshina of the mandir.
Swamishri also bathed in the ocean waters sanctified by
Nilkanth Varni and chanted the dhun.
- Indradumyna
Lake
Swamishri arrived at the Indradumyna lake where Nilkanth
Varni had resided and sanctified the lake. As a memorial
to His visit, Swamishri inaugurated a small marble shrine
and installed the murtis of Akshar and Purushottam. Then
the holy feet of Harikrishna Maharaj were bathed with
the sanctified waters of the lake and Swamishri too sprinkled
the water on his head.
- 16 June 2001
(V.S. 2057, Jeth Vad 10) Saturday, Kolkata, Bal-Kishore Day
The evening program
of folk dances, speeches and drama. `Eet Ane Imarat' by children
and teenagers was praiseworthy and inspiring.
- 17 June 2001
(V.S. 2057, Jeth Vad 11) Sunday, Kolkata
- At 9.00 am, Swamishri arrived
at the 33-acre site for the Bhumi-pujan ceremony of the
proposed BAPS Cultural and Social Complex. The Vedic rituals
of the maha-puja were performed by Swamishri and devotees.
Swamishri 'broke' the ground with an iron bar and thus
performed the Bhumi-pujan and ground-breaking ritual.
Finally, in his blessings Swamishri said, "By the
will of God and Yogiji Maharaj and the efforts of sadhus
and devotees we have acquired a nice area of land. The
road nearby leads to Gangasagar, hence we are on the road
towards a great holy place. A holy place is where God
is installed. Similarly, this too will become a great
holy place where hundreds of thousands will come for darshan
and attain peace and happiness ..."
More than 1,000 devotees had attended the function.
- The evening assembly was
held at the renowned Kalamandir Hall. More than 1,100
devotees had assembled for the program to honor the murti
of Harikrishna Maharaj. After the preliminary bhajans
and speeches, a lively procession of Harikrishna Maharaj
placed in a palanquin, commenced in the hall. Finally,
Swamishri blessed the esteemed gathering.
- 18 June 2001
(V.S. 2057, Jeth Vad 12) Monday, Kolkata, Nagpur
Swamishri departed
from Kolkata at 8.52 pm and arrived in Nagpur at 10.20pm.
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