Grand Pushpadolotsav Celebration27 March <strong>2013</strong>, BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir, SarangpurIn the evening, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.,over 70,000 devotees gathered at the BAPSShri Swaminarayan Mandir in Sarangpur inthe presence of the senior BAPS sadhus – PujyaMahant Swami, Pujya Doctor Swami, PujyaBhaktipriya (Kothari) Swami, Pujya TyagvallabhSwami and Pujya Viveksagar Swami – tocelebrate this annual festival.Speeches by the senior and other sadhus andvideo shows described how Pramukh SwamiMaharaj’s life has been coloured with the virtuesof dharma, jnan, vairagya and bhakti.Following the inauguration of new publicationsby Swaminarayan Aksharpith, the seniorsadhus performed pujan of Shri HarikrishnaMaharaj and sprayed him with saffron-scentedwater. Thereafter, arti was performed.At the conclusion of the celebration, aspecially compiled video of the past Fuldolcelebrations held in Sarangpur in the presenceof Swamishri was shown. Finally, volunteerssprinkled scented gulal powder, previouslysanctified by Swamishri, on all the devotees.This year, due to the drought in Gujarat,gulal powder, flowers and flower petals wereused for the celebrations at both Ahmedabadand Sarangpur instead of the traditional use ofwater.uIn a grand diksha mahotsav, guruhariPramukh Swami Maharaj initiated 28 youths asparshads and 45 as sadhus. Among the youthswere doctors, engineers, pharmacists, MBAs andgraduates of other faculties. Of the 73 youths,16 were from abroad.The youths, and their parents and relativesperformed the Vedic mahapuja rituals. Later, theparents wholeheartedly offered their belovedsons for becoming sadhus at the holy feet of guruPramukh Swami Maharaj. The devotees presentDiksha Ceremony11 April <strong>2013</strong>, Ahmedabad, Indiain the assembly hailed the newly initiated youthsand their parents in reverence.Senior sadhus of BAPS – Pujya Mahant Swami,Pujya Doctor Swami, Pujya Kothari Swami, PujyaTyagvallabh Swami, Pujya Ishwarcharan Swamiand Pujya Viveksagar Swami – were present inthe initiation ceremony. They expounded on thespiritual significance of receiving initiation froman enlightened guru.At the end of the ceremony Pramukh SwamiMaharaj personally gave the guru mantra to64 Swaminarayan Bliss u <strong>May</strong>-<strong>June</strong> <strong>2013</strong>
each of the 73 youths. Blessing them he said,“These youths will go to the villages and citiesin India and abroad to inspire others to live anaddiction-free life and instill morality and faithin countless people.” Pramukh Swami Maharajappreciated the sacrifice of parents who hadoffered their sons to become sadhus for theservice of society and God.uShri Swaminarayan Jayanti Celebration20 April <strong>2013</strong>, Ahmedabad, IndiaWith the Akshar Jharukho symbolicallytransformed into the historic Moksha Pipalo ofChhapaiya, thousands of devotees attended theevening celebration of Bhagwan Swaminarayan’s232nd birth anniversary in the presence of HisHoliness Pramukh Swami Maharaj.The assembly featured bhajans and speechesby the senior sadhus. Pujya Viveksagar Swamispoke about the six reasons for BhagwanSwaminarayan’s manifestation on earth. Then,Pujya Ishwarcharan Swami elaborated on howthe Guru Parampara – Gunatitanand Swami,Bhagatji Maharaj, Shastriji Maharaj, YogijiMaharaj and, presently, Pramukh Swami Maharaj– the manifest forms of Bhagwan Swaminarayanon earth, have continued to fulfil the objectivesof Bhagwan Swaminarayan by guiding countlessdevotees towards attaining the divine brahmicstate and worshipping God. Pujya MahantSwami addressed the assembly and emphasized<strong>May</strong>-<strong>June</strong> <strong>2013</strong> u Swaminarayan Bliss 65
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