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May 12 -- Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu
The final stage in the work of Project Hope, India Heritage
Research Foundation in the tsunami affected areas has been completed and
inaugurated. On May 12, the orphanage which we built for the tsunami orphans as
well as facilities for over 300 children who had been orphaned prior to the
tsunami was inaugurated by the hands of H.E. the Hon. Governor of Tamil Nadu,
Shri Surjit Singh Barnalaji with Pujya Swamiji.
The orphanage includes dormitory facilities, school rooms, a
computer center, medical room, beautiful kitchen and dining facilities, a
vocational training center and more. It has been built on the same land
as the previously existing home for approximately 200 widowed/abandoned and
homeless ladies, which we also beautified. In this way, the orphaned
children will receive, in addition to the staff, mothers, aunts, grandmothers
and older sisters; the ladies will receive the priceless gift of caring for
orphaned children. We have also built a vocational training center for the
ladies, and the new huge dining/kitchen facilities are shared by both the
children and the ladies.
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The outside of one wing of the new orphanage complex |
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front of the new dining hall and inside on inauguration day |
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The Honorable Governor and Pujya Swamiji opened all of the
different rooms, including the school rooms, computer center, vocational
training center, medical room, etc. The dining hall had already been officially
inaugurated last year, but the Hon. Governor went also and saw how beautiful it
was. He was so happy to see the facilities as well as the smile on the faces of
the children.
Pujya Swamiji and the Honorable Governor talk to the young children, orphaned by the tsunami whose lives now have hope
A beautiful moment was when the Honorable Governor asked a few
of the little orphan children, spontaneously, “What do you want to be?” One
said doctor, another said scientist and the third said “Collector”. The
district Collector is the government in-charge of the area. In the north they
are called District Magistrates. The Collector has been helping the project a
great deal so the children of probably seen him coming and going from the site,
being the one in charge. . So, this little child, whose father was a fisherman
and who has now been orphaned by the tsunami, wants to grow up and be the
Collector! It was truly beautiful.
After the official inauguration on site, everyone went to
Cuddalore Town Hall for actual function of speeches and blessings.
The Honorable Governor gave a beautiful speech filled with such
praise for this project as well as for all of the work that Project Hope has
done for the tsunami victims since December 2004.
The vocational training center with sewing machines and other supplies for tailoring and handicrafts
the outside of the upstairs of one wing....inspiring quotations are painted on all the walls in Tamil and English
Pujya Swamiji with the Honorable Governor, Shri Ravi Khemka, the District Collector of Cuddalore,
Ken Elliot of Sadeh Lok, and local leaders and authorities at the official function in Town Hall
Project Hope was founded just after the tsunami by Pujya Swamiji
and famous Bollywood actor Vivek Oberoi when they traveled down to the tsunami
affected areas in the wake of the tragedy and decided to become actively
involved in both short-term emergency relief as well as long term, permanent
reconstruction. See www.projecthope-tsunami.com for details of all the work.
Special thanks to Drs. Kiranbhai and Pallaviben Patel and the
Patel Foundation for Global Understanding, and Smt. Bellaben & Shri
Yogeshbhai Patel of Florida, USA for their generous sponsorship of the
orphanage project.
May 13 - Ghaziabad
On the return to Rishikesh from South India, Pujya Swamiji was the Chief Guest at the opening of the new Vardhan eye hospital in Ghaziabad, of which our own dear Shri Nand Kishoreji is the secretary.
Pujya Swamiji gives glasses to a patient; with the doctors, sevaks and organizers of the Vardhan hospital
May - Rishikesh
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The last week of May, Pujya Shri Rameshbhai Oza was giving katha in the divine land of Uttarkashi. Prior to going up he came to Parmarth Niketan to meet with Pujya Swamiji and to perform the divine Ganga Aarti. It was wonderful to have him back at home at Parmarth. |
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Later in the week, Pujya Swamiji also traveled up to Uttarkashi for the final day of the Katha.
June 1- 3 -- Rishikesh
From June 1 - 3, the BJP celebrated their Women's Morcha (Committee) Conference to which all the BJP women ministers and committee heads from all over the country came together with the special guest of Smt. Sushma Swaraj. The Conference was organized and presided over by Smt. Kiran Maheshwari, the National President of the women's morcha. Hundreds of women leaders from all over India came to Parmarth Niketan for the 3 day event which was inaugurated by the Honorable Chief Minister of Uttrakhand, Shri Bhuwan Chandra Khandhuriji.
Pujya Swamiji gave the special inaugural blessings, and he spent some time with Shri Khanduriji discussing numerous divine, humanitarian and positive projects for the state of Uttrakhand. Shri Khanduriji also stayed and had lunch together with Pujya Swamiji.
Pujya Swamiji and Hon. Shri Khanduriji walk to the inauguration
Pujya Swamiji and Hon. Shri Khanduriji at the inauguration, sharing thoughts and ideas for the betterment of Uttarakhand
The women participants listen attentively
In the afternoon, Smt. Sushma Swaraj arrived, and she gave beautiful and inspiring talks to all of the women participants. In the evening she came for the divine Ganga Aarti which began with a beautiful Ganga chunari, in which 500 sarees are joined together and are dressed upon Mother Ganga.
She was so impressed and happy to see the way that divine and beautiful traditional values and sanskaras are being practiced at Parmarth, and imparted to all of the young rishikumars as well as shared with so many people from all over the world
Pujya Swamiji takes Smt. Sushmaji and the leaders down for Gangaji Chunari, Yagna and Aarti
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Pujya Swamiji blesses Smt. Sushmaji |
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Prior to the Aarti there was a beautiful Ganga Chunari (dressing a saree around Mother Ganga). The huge saree (500 tied together) went through all the audience as well and everyone had a chance to touch it and seek the blessings.
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After the Chunari there are prayers, and Gangaji looks as divine as ever! |
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Finally it's time for the Divine Ganga Aarti ceremony! |
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After the Aarti Pujya Swamiji speaks words of praise and blessing for Smt. Sushmaji, Smt. Kiranji and the entire women's morcha
Smt. Sushmaji expressed her great joy at being in Rishikesh, on the banks of Ganga, at Pujya Swamiji's feet and sought His blessings.
Pujya Swamiji and Pujya Acharya Srikant Vyasji with Smt. Sushma Swaraj and Smt. Kiran Maheshwari
June 3-8 -- Yatra to Gangotri and Gaumukh
On the morning of June 3, Pujya Swamiji's sacred birthday, we departed from Rishikesh after a special puja on the banks of Mother Ganga, for the holy land of Gangotri, the Source of Mother Ganga.
The yatra included approximately 60 people from numerous countries around the world. We stopped in Uttarkashi for a divine lunch on the banks of Mother Ganga before continuing the 10 hour drive up to Gangotri.
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Pujya Swamiji in Uttarkashi on the way to Gangotri....sitting on the banks of Ganga and offering prayers and flowers to Her |
Pujya Swamiji bows to the Divine Mother and offers Her flowers and humble and loving prayers and pranams
Pujya Swamiji with some of the yatris in Uttarkashi
Pujya Swami Hansdasji, the President of the Akhil Bharatiya Sant Samiti (All India Committee of Saints/Sanyasis) came up to Gangotri from Haridwar, just for 1 day to be with Pujya Swamiji on His birthday.
On June 4 we had beautiful darshan, puja and aarti at the Gangotri mandir, and then Pujya Swamiji had a long meeting with the priests of Gangotri in order to work out a "clean, green and serene" program for Gangotri. Pujya Swamiji felt that the entire area surrounding the sacred temple should be beautified and He has offered to take on the entire project in conjunction with the local committees.
(left) Pujya Swami Hansdasji gives Pujya Swamiji flowers and a shawl; (right) the rishikumars enjoy their prasad in the sun
The sacred temple of Gangotri
(left) Pujya Swamiji and Pujya Swami Hansdasji; meeting with a local saint of Gangotri who blesses Joseph
Sitting with one of the local, revered saints of Gangotri
In the evening we had a beautiful Ganga Aarti on the banks of the Bhagirathi river (the name Ganga is used for the river typically only after the sangam at Dev Prayag -- where the Bhagirathi meets the Alakananda and Mandakini, which have already merged at Rudra Prayag) led by Pujya Swamiji and the divine rishikumars of the Parmarth Gurukul. Pujya Swamiji also brought up numerous large, beautiful aarti lamps which we use at Parmarth in Rishikesh for the aarti to donate to Gangotri so they can continue the tradition of aarti each evening as well.
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(left): Pujya Swamiji and Pujya Swami Hansdasji (right): Performing evening aarti on the banks of Bhagirathi (Ganga)
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During the day, Pujya Swamiji and Pujya Swami Hansdasji also had a beautiful meeting with Pujya Swami Sundaranandji one of the most revered saints of Gangotri who has taken the most spectacular photos of the Gangotri region during the last several decades.
Pujya Swamiji with Pujya Swami Hansdasji and Pujya Swami Sundaranandji
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At the residence of Pujya Swami Sundaranandji |
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Yatris enjoying the bliss in Gangotri |
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On June 5 we embarked on our yatra to the actual glacier which is the source of the Bhagirathi, and hence the Ganges river, at a place 18 km from the town of Gangotri. The glacier is called Gaumukh, referring to the fact that perhaps it used to resemble the open mouth of a cow.
We trekked 14 km the first day to Bhojwasa, or the forest of Bhoj trees. The trek was truly sublime, with Ganga rushing below, the trees towering overhead, the sun shining down upon us, Pujya Swamiji's divine presence amongst us.
After reaching Bhojwasa, and settling into our tents, we prepared for a beautiful Ganga Aarti and meditation. We were now only 4 km from the sacred source of the Mother River.... The aarti brought tears to many eyes as we never imagined we would be standing here, singing the aarti, at the top of the world, at the Source of the Mother.
THE TREK FROM GANGOTRI TO BHOJWASA - 14 KM
Trying to make a fallen and still living tree stand again! Only with the grace and inspiration of Pujya Swamiji
Along the way, when we stopped Pujya Swamiji enjoyed time with the rishikumars..... some yatris rode ponies
(left) looking down on Bhojwasa; (right) with Pujya Swamiji on the banks of Bhagirathi at Bhojwasa
In the evening, before dinner, we left our tents and went down to have divine Aarti on the banks of Bhagirathi, at Bhojwasa which lies a mere 4 km from Gaumukh, the Source of Ganga. As the wind whipped through us, no one minded the biting cold for we were left speechless from joy at being in this divine place.
AARTI ON THE BANKS OF GANGA AT BHOJWASA
After the Aarti we had |
