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- 29 October
2004 (V.S. 2060; Aso vad 1) Friday, Mumbai
Swamishri’s Air India flight number 200 to Mumbai took
off from Nairobi at 6.00 pm (8.30 pm IST). During the flight,
after attending to his correspondence, Swamishri rested for
a couple of hours. After a flight of five hours and forty minutes,
Swamishri landed in Mumbai, where the local time was 2.30 am.
Swamishri reached the BAPS Mandir in Dadar at 4.00 am and retired
for rest.
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- 1 November
(V.S. 2060; Aso vad 4) Monday, Mumbai, New Delhi
Swamishri departed from Mumbai at 6.05 pm by flight and arrived
in New Delhi at 8.05 pm. When Swamishri arrived at the Swaminarayan
Akshardham complex he was welcomed by children dressed in colourful
attires, holding flags of the countries that Swamishri had visited.
After Thakorji’s darshan Swamishri advanced towards the
Sant ashram.
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- 2 November
to 9 November 2004, New Delhi
Swamishri’s daily routine during his stay in New Delhi
included site tours of the ongoing construction at Akshardham
and exhibition halls and meetings. Every morning and evening
Swamishri performed his puja and attended the evening satsang
assembly. Swamishri also personally blessed and counselled the
devotees.
Everyday, during Swamishri’s puja, primary and secondary
school children from nearby schools came for Swamishri’s
puja darshan and spiritual enlightenment. The children would
wake up at 5.00 am and from their respective schools they would
be transported in their school buses to the mandir. From 6.45
to 7.30 am Dr. Swami addressed them in Hindi about studies,
values and faith in God. Thereafter they would have the puja
darshan of Swamishri and also listen to bhajans sung by sadhus.
Thereafter Swamishri would bless the school principal and a
few schoolboys. Then all the boys and girls were given prasad
and after having darshan of the mandir they would return back
to school.
A total of 3,200 schoolboys and girls experienced the cultural
and divine ambience of the mandir and Swamishri’s puja.
In the daily evening assembly Prabhucharan Swami elaborately
explained the meaning, glory and significance of the Shikshapatri
in Hindi. Finally, Swamishri would bless the assembly.
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- 6 November
(V.S. 2060; Aso vad 9) Saturday, New Delhi
Swamishri blessed an assembly of 1,310 artisans working at the
Akshardham complex. Swamishri said, “You are all working
with devotion for the divine monument that will be dedicated
to Bhagwan Swaminarayan and our glorious Indian culture. You
have worked previously for other projects but this is for God.
Only those who are blessed are graced with such work…”
Finally the artisans honoured Shri Harikrishna Maharaj.
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- 8 November
(V.S. 2060; Aso vad 11) Monday, New Delhi
At 9.30 am, Swamishri arrived at the Akshardham monument to
perform the pujan rituals of the ‘amalsaro’ stone
to be placed on the main dome. Vedic chantings suffused the
air with divinity. Shri Harikrishna Maharaj was placed on the
‘amalsaro’. Swamishri performed pujan of the main
‘key’ to be placed on the dome and the ‘amalsars’.
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- 9 November
(V.S. 2060; Aso vad 11) Tuesday, New Delhi, Rajkot
At 4.30 pm Swamishri departed by flight from New Delhi via Bhopal,
Indore and arrived in Rajkot at 8.15 pm. Swamishri was welcomed
at the airport by Yogiswarup Swami and devotees. A grand welcome
was arranged along the way. A cavalcade of 84 youths on motorcycles
escorted Swamishri’s car and children welcomed Swamishri
with divas in hand along the route to the mandir. When Swamishri
arrived at the mandir, which was illuminated with decorative
lights, a spectacular firework display in the background splashed
the night sky will colours and joy. The entire mandir was brimming
with devotees. After Thakorji’s darshan Swamishri briefly
blessed the assembly.
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- 10 November
(V.S. 2060; Aso vad 13) Wednesday, Rajkot, Gondal; Dhan Teras
After Swamishri’s morning puja in Rajkot devotees honoured
Shri Harikrishna Maharaj.
At 10.00 am a grand welcome assembly for Swamishri was arranged
on the mandir grounds in honour of his works during his trip
to USA, UK and Africa. Swamishri was honoured by government
ministers, industrialists, social workers, heads of associations
and devotees. The finance minister of Gujarat, Shri Vajubhai
Vala, former minister of India Dr. Vallabhbhai Kathiriya and
many others
BAPS children and youths performed a traditional welcome dance.
Thereafter children paid tribute to Swamishri for his achievements
during his satsang tour abroad by waving flags and attired in
the local dress of the countries he had visited. Then the dignitaries
and heads of associations expressed their accolades to Swamishri
for his socio-spiritual services. A citation of honour was presented
to Swamishri. Prior to Swamishri’s blessings 109 dignitaries
presented garlands and bouquets to Swamishri. Finally Swamishri
blessed the assembly of 1,200 devotees and wellwishers emphasising
that God, His incarnations and God-communion Sadhus descend
upon earth to establish dharma. Swamishri also dwelled upon
the need of spiritual values in our materialistic age which
has spawned unrest, lack of peace and unhappiness.
In the evening, Swamishri was welcomed in Gondal. The mandir
and its grounds were illuminated with colourful lights and divas.
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- 11 November
(V.S. 2060; Aso vad 14) Thursday, Gondal; Kali Chaudash
After Thakorji’s darshan Swamishri performed the arti
of Shri Hanumanji as part of the ritual on Kali Chaudas. After
doing darshan of Akshar Deri Swamishri performed his morning
puja.
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- 12 November
(V.S. 2060; Aso vad 30) Friday, Gondal; Diwali
At 7.00 am, as Swamishri emerged from his room, his pathway
was decorated with divas and patterns of flower petals. Bhajans
related to Diwali were sung by sadhus in Swamishri’s puja.
At 6.00 pm Swamishri arrived for the annual Chopda Pujan ritual.
The mahapuja rituals lasted till 7.20 pm.
Thereafter Viveksagar Swami explained the significance and history
of Diwali in his address. Finally, Swamishri blessed the assembly,
“Since the day this mandir was consecrated mahapuja and
chopda pujan have been performed in the Akshar Deri. Yogiji
Maharaj used to sit in the Akshar Deri and perform these rituals
because during that time there weren’t many devotees.
He had absolute faith in God and would sing dhun for the growth
of Satsang and quantity of sadhus… Never forget God. The
more we keep God in the forefront of our lives the more He will
advance us. He is there to bless us, therefore we must do daily
puja and say our prayers… Maharaj has instructed that
one should write one’s accounts on a daily basis. One
should also introspect daily as to how humble we have become
and how much of worldly attachment and infatuation we have shed.
If we do our daily work with this in mind then God will become
happy upon us… ”
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- 13 November
(V.S. 2061; Kartak sud 1) Saturday, Gondal; New Year's Day
While Swamishri performed his morning puja, the New Year’s
Day mahapuja was being performed on stage at the same time.
After concluding his puja Swamishri performed the concluding
mahapuja rituals.
Then, throughout the morning, Swamishri personally blessed devotees
who had come to Gondal and also conveyed his blessings through
phone calls to various mandirs and dignitaries. At 11.00 am
Swamishri addressed the satsang assembly, “Shriji Maharaj
came on earth and fulfilled His divine mission. The crux of
the matter is that we are all in the Akshar Deri which is very
divine and powerful. Devotees from throughout India and abroad
have come for the annakut celebration… This human body
is temporary. So attaining happiness through one’s body,
which is destructible, is also destructible. When one experiences
the joys of atma then all other joys (mundane) are flushed out…”
At 11.30 am Swamishri and sadhus sang thals during the annakut
offered to the deities. In conclusion Swamishri performed the
annakut arti before the murtis of Akshar Purushottam Maharaj
and also in the Akshar Deri.
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- 14 November
(V.S. 2061; Kartak sud 2) Sunday, Gondal; Bhai Bij
After Swamishri’s morning puja, devotees honoured Shri
Harikrishna Maharaj. Thereafter, Swamishri performed the murti-pratishtha
rituals of pujan and arti for murti of four BAPS hari mandirs
for the villages of Dodiyala, Daredi, Mevasa and Shastrinagar
in Rajkot.
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