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Celebration of 100 Years of Bochasan Mandir
Bochasan, India, 26-27 April 2007
 
 
 
 
In 1907 Brahmaswarup Shastriji Maharaj built the first BAPS Mandir in Bochasan. To commemorate the completion of 100 years, a grand patotsav celebration was held in the presence of Pramukh Swami Maharaj.

As stated in the Hindu Shastras, on completion of 100 years, the murtis of the mandir should be offered a special abhishek of 1001 kalashes using the extracts of special items. This ceremony is known as Sahastrakalash Abhishek.

So, on Thursday 26 April 2007 a grand Vedic yagna was held in the presence of Pramukh Swami Maharaj, in which over 1,500 devotees participated.

The patotsav was celebrated on Friday 27 April 2007. At 7.30 am, Pramukh Swami Maharaj performed the patotsav arti. Thereafter, over 1,500 devotees participated in the Vedic patotsav mahapuja ceremony. At the end of the mahapuja, Swamishri performed the special abhishek ritual of all the consecrated murtis: Bhagwan Swaminarayan, Aksharbrahma Gunatitanand Swami, Shri Harikrishna Maharaj, Shri Ghanshyam Maharaj and Shri Lakshami-Narayan Dev. The entire ceremony was relayed by CCTV to over 17,000 devotees seated in the mandir premises and assembly arena.

After these special Vedic rituals, Swamishri presided over the patotsav assembly. The assembly featured speeches by the senior sadhus and traditional dances by children and youths. Swamishri again performed the abhishek of Shri Harikrishna Maharaj on stage and then blessed the assembly, describing the glory of these Vedic rituals as well as the murtis of God. He also talked about the devotion and saintliness of the Guru Parampara as the reason for the growth of the BAPS over the past 100 years