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Sarangpur
Sarangpur, Dared, Kalatalav, Gadhada
Gadhada
Gadhada, Raliyana
Gadhada, Sarangpur
Sarangpur, Paliyad, Gadhada, Lathi, Amreli
Amreli
Amreli, Dhari
Dhari
Dhari, Khambha, Dedan, Rajula
Rajula
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- 2 April 2003
(V.S. 2059, Chaitra sud 1) Wednesday, Sarangpur
Swamishri performed
pujan of bricks to be laid in the foundation of hari mandirs
in the villages of Khambha, Godhavata and Muldhara.
- 3 April 2003
(V.S. 2059, Chaitra sud 2) Thursday, Sarangpur; Shri Hari
Jayanti (English date)
- Swamishri performed
pujan of the foundation-bricks for a sanskardham in the
suburb of Maninagar, Amdavad.
- For the celebration
of Shri Hari Jayanti, a grand annakut was arranged before
Thakorji. After darshan, Swamishri performed arti of Thakorji.
- 223rd Shri
Hari Jayanti Celebration
At 6.00 p.m. the celebration commenced with dhun and prayers.
Pujya Brahmadarshan Swami discoursed on the motive of
Shriji Maharaj's birth on earth. Thereafter Pujya Vivkesagar
Swami addressed the assembly. Then sadhus sang "Premvati
sut jayo anupam..." Swamishri finally blessed the
occasion and spoke about the glory of devotion to Shriji
Maharaj.
Swamishri performed the celebration arti of Thakorji on
stage and then rocked Thakorji in a decorative cradle.
As the festive bhajans were being sung, sadhus danced
with joy and enthusiasm. Swamishri joined the devotional
celebration by playing the kartal and traditionally danced
and gestured to the joy of everyone. The celebration concluded
on a devotional note.
- 4 April 2003
(V.S. 2059, Chaitra sud 3) Friday, Sarangpur
Thirty-six tribal people
from the Dang district sang traditional bhajans during Swamishri's
morning walk. A sadhu sang a bhajan in the Dangi language
and explained the activities of BAPS and glory of Swamishri.
Thereafter a couple of tribals narrated their transformation
through their association with Satsang. Finally Swamishri
blessed the tribals and initiated them into Satsang.
- 5 April 2003
(V.S. 2059, Chaitra sud 3) Saturday, Sarangpur, Dared, Kalatalav,
Gadhada
- Around 5.30
p.m. Swamishri departed from Sarangpur and visited Navagam
(Lohiyana) and sprinkled flowers from the car and sanctified
the land where a hari mandir is under construction.
- At 6.35 p.m.
Swamishri arrived at Dared village. Dared Bapu Shri Pruthvindrasinh
Gohil warmly welcomed Swamishri in the darbar that had
been sanctified by Shastriji Maharaj and Yogiji Maharaj.
The entire courtyard was filled with devotees and wellwishers
from Dared village. After the welcome rituals Swamishri
blessed the gathering and performed arti at the BAPS hari
mandir in the village. On seeing a vintage car in the
mandir ground Swamishri explained that Dared darbar had
driven Shastriji Maharaj in the car for pujan and arti
of the murtis at the Gadhada mandir. Then Swamishri departed
from Dared village.
- At 7.30 p.m.
Swamishri arrived at Kalatalav after 28 years. In 1975
Swamishri had performed the murti-pratishtha rituals of
the hari mandir. Despite the electrical blackout Swamishri
performed arti, prostrations and did darshan of Thakorji
in the light of an oil lamp. Thereafter Swamishri went
to the assembly arranged on a spacious plot of land for
the new mandir on the village outskirt.
- At 8.45 p.m.
Swamishri arrived at Gadhada. After Thakorji's darshan,
Swamishri discoursed to the assembly and then had his
dinner, retiring for the night at 10.25 p.m.
- 7
April 2003 (V.S. 2059, Chaitra sud 5) Monday, Gadhada, Raliyana,
Gadhada
- After yesterday's
yagna in which 93 couples participated around 29 yagna
pits, the pratishtha ceremony was held this morning. Swamishri
performed the murti-pratishtha ceremony of Shri Akshar
Purushottam Maharaj and Guru Parampara at the hari mandir
in Raliyana village. Thereafter Swamishri blessed the
murti-pratishtha assembly in which 5,000 devotees and
wellwishers were present. Thereafter Swamishri returned
to Gadhada.
- In the evening
assembly, corporators of Gadhada Municipality honored
Swamishri with bouquets and received his blessings. In
conclusion Swamishri addressed the assembly.
- 9
April 2003 (V.S. 2059, Chaitra sud 7) Wednesday, Sarangpur,
Paliyad, Gadhada, Lathi, Amreli
- In the morning
Swamishri arrived at Paliyad for the 'Amra Bapu Murti-Pratishtha
Mahotsav.' First Swamishri performed the murti-pratishtha
rituals of a canvas murti of Amra Bapu in a mandir and
then went to the 'Sadhus' Get Together' program. The inauguration
of the entrance to the festival ground was performed by
Swamishri and Jagadguru Shri Ramnareshacharyaji. Then
both dignitaries kindled the inaugural lamp of the festival.
Finally, Swamishri blessed the assembly.
- At 6.30 p.m.
Swamishri arrived at Lathi village where a public assembly
was arranged on the diamond grounds of the renowned diamond
businessman Shri Manji Rudabhai Dholakiya.
- At 7.45 p.m.
Swamishri arrived at the public satsang assembly in Amreli.
Corporators of the local Amreli Municipality presented
a citation of honor to Swamishri. An official of Rotary
Club presented a citation of honor to Swamishri. On behalf
of the Red Cross Society, Amreli, a philanthropist presented
a citation of honor to Swamishri. Many other organizations
of Amreli also welcomed and honored Swamishri.
In his blessings Swamishri said, "Amreli is a blessed
land. Formerly it was under the jurisdiction ofthe Gaekwad
State and it introduced education on a compulsory basis.
Many people have acquired good education and become scholars
and citizens of character. Our importance lies in having
character. Character is an asset. If character is lost
then everything is lost..."
- 10
April 2003 (V.S. 2059, Chaitra sud 8) Thursday, Amreli
- At 10.25 a.m.
Swamishri arrived at the BAPS hari mandir to celebrate its
22nd inauguration anniversary (patotsav). After performing
pujan and arti of Thakorji, Swamishri blessed the assembly,
"Shastriji Maharaj and Yogiji Maharaj have blessed
Amreli by visiting this town on several occasions. Through
the blessings of Maharaj and Swamishri and the saintliness
of Shastriji Maharaj and Yogiji Maharaj satsang has flourished
in India and abroad..."
- 11
April 2003 (V.S. 2059, Chaitra sud 9) Friday, Amreli; 223rd
Birthday Celebration of Bhagwan Swaminarayan
- During Swamishri's puja,
sadhus sang bhajans in praise and glory of Bhagwan Swaminarayan.
Thereafter in the morning assembly Pujya Shrutiprakash
Swami, Pujya Vivkesagar Swami and Pujya Doctor Swami delivered
discourses. Then Swamishri blessed the assembly. Shri
Harikrishna Maharaj was honored by devotees.
- At 7.30 p.m.,
the celebration assembly was arranged on the the mandir
site. Pujya Brahmadarshan Swami spoke on the mission of
Shriji Maharaj's birth on earth. The balaks and kishores
of Savarkundla performed a beautiful dance on the bhajan
'Guru Roon Ada Kem Kariye..." Pujya Viveksagar Swami
discoursed about the life, work and philosophy of Bhagwan
Swaminarayan. Then Swamishri was honored with the sanctified
garlands prepared by the local devotees. The balaks and
kishores of Savarkundla performed another dance in honor
of Shriji Maharaj on the bhajan, "Chaitra Sud Navmi
Avi..." Finally Swamishri blessed the festival assembly,
"God has always kept on incarnating on earth to protect
us and reestablish dharma. Similarly in Kaliyug Bhagwan
Swaminarayan incarnated on earth. He had harboured no
distinctions of high or low and nourished feelings to
redeem all. He established mandirs for the propagation
and consolidation of upasana and dharma. From this we
learn about our culture and character. Without a place
one cannot worship God. And that is why He built mandirs
so that thousands of people could congregrate to worship
and pray to God... Alongwith mandirs, He also propagated
the glory of shastras like Veda, Upanishad, Gita, Mahabharat,
Bhagwat, Ramayan and others. Bhagwan Swaminarayan gave
the Satsangijivan, Vachanamrut and Shikshapatri for the
good of all... Bhagwan Swaminarayan transformed the lives
of evil people and made them into devotees..."
Thereafter Swamishri performed pujan and arti of Thakorji
and rocked Thakorji in a decorated cradle while the sadhus
sang devotional bhajans.
The festival assembly was attended by 9,000 devotees and
wellwishers.
- 13
April 2003 (V.S. 2059, Chaitra sud 11) Sunday, Dhari
- At 10.35 a.m.
Swamishri performed the murti-pratishtha of new murtis of
Akshar Purushottam Maharaj and Guru Parampara in the BAPS
hari mandir. Shri Harikrishna Maharaj was honored by the
devotees in the morning assembly.
- During the evening
satsang assembly, the local Dhari Municipality officials
presented a citation honoring Swamishri. Thereafter a member
of 'Bharat Scout and Guide' of Amreli district honored Swamishri
with a citation.
- 14 April
2003 (V.S.2059, Chaitra sud 12) Monday,
Dhari, Khambha, Dedan, Rajula
- During Swamishri's
morning puja, about 75 Udiya devotees from Orissa sang the
Swaminarayan mahamantra in their unique, devotional style.
Then two Udiya dancers beautifully performed a dance on
10 avatars, through steps and gestures in synchronisation
with music. They also played zalars (gongs) in a rhythmic
fashion as Swamishri walked passed them.
- In the evening, Swamishri
visited the school where Jhina Bhagat (Yogiji Maharaj) studied.
He pointed out at the neem tree where Jhina meditated during
his school recess. Swamishri also went for darshan of the
classroom in which Jhina Bhagat studied. Then Swamishri
went to the Shetrunji river where Jhina Bhagat bathed and
meditated on a stone. In 1992, during the Birth Centenary
Celebration of Yogiji Maharaj, Swamishri had inspired the
construction of a ghat and a shrine with a pair of marble
footprints of Shriji Maharaj. Swamishri then descended to
the river and applied the sacred waters on his head. From
here Swamishri went to the old mandir where Jhina Bhagat
performed Thakorji's worship and service when the aged pujari
Shri Mohan Bhagat was sick. Swamishri did darshan of the
canvas murti of Thakorji, performed pradakshina and prostrations.
Then Swamishri said, "Yogiji Maharaj performed a lot
of service and worship of Thakorji here, so let us chant
the dhun so that we attain such devotion in our life."
Swamishri then chanted the Swaminarayan mahamantra.
- At 6.00 p.m. Swamishri arrived
at Khambha and performed the murti-pratishtha rituals in
the BAPS hari mandir. Thereafter Swamishri addressed the
pratishtha assembly of 700 to 800 devotees.
- Swamishri travelled
to Dedan and performed pujan and arti of the newly consecrated
murtis in the hari mandir. After a brief discourse Swamishri
departed for Rajula.
- 15
April 2003 (V.S. 2059, Chaitra sud 13) Tuesday, Rajula
- At 10.00 a.m.
Swamishri attended the murti-pratishtha yagna. Amidst
Vedic chantings Swamishri performed the initial yagna
rituals. The yagna had 448 couples who performed the rituals
around 56 yagna pits. Swamishri performed pujan of the
murtis.
- In the afternoon
a grand procession of floats with the murtis was carried
out on the main streets of Rajula.
- At 6.45 p.m.
members of the municipality of Rajula honored Swamishri
in a public Satsang assembly. A citation was read out
and a 'Key to the City' was also presented.
- 16
April 2003 (V.S. 2059, Chaitra sud 15) Wednesday, Rajula,
Ambardi, bhadhada, Savarkundla
- At 9.45 a.m.
Swamishri performed the murti-pratishtha of Shri Akshar
Purushottam Maharaj, Shri Radha Krishna Dev, Guru Parampara,
Shri Hanumanji and Shri Ganapatiji at the hari mandir
in Rajula. After performing arti, Swamishri addressed
an assembly of 7,000 devotees and wellwishers.
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