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Contents:
 Visit
by H.H. Shri Swami Suryadevanandaji Maharaj to Omkarananda Educational
Institutions
The faculty, students, and staff of Omkarananda Saraswati Nilayam and
Omkarananda Institute of Management and Technology were gifted with inspiring
words from the venerable Swami Suryadevanandaji who kindly agreed to address the
student population of two important educational institutions of Omkarananda
Ashram, Omkarananda Saraswati Nilayam, an English-Medium 10+2 Inter-College
(ICSE Board) with a strength of 2300 students, on 16th September, 2006, and
Omkarananda Institute of Management and Technology (affiliated to H.N. Bahuguna
Garhwal University, Shrinagar and to Uttaranchal Technical University, Dehradun
and approved by AICTE, New Delhi) on 20th September, 2006.
Swami Vishveshwarananda escorted Swami Suryadevananda after his visit to
the Institute |
Shri Swami Suryadevananda delivers a lecture to the students of
Omkarananda Institute of Management and Technology |
Swamiji was in Rishikesh on a visit from the United States, where he now
resides. His affiliations with this local area are significant: after years of
studying the holy Indian scriptures and philosophical works, he was initiated as
a Sannyasi by H.H. Swami Sivananda of Sivananda Ashram. Swami Suryadevananda is
also a great admirer of Paramahamsa Omkarananda Saraswati whom he considers a
genius and one of the greatest writers of literature about Swami Sivananda
Maharaj.
In the United States Swami Suryadevanandaji was honored by the American
President George Bush for his outstanding works in America; currently, he
travels worldwide giving lectures at different educational institutions and
spiritual centres.
Clearly, all in attendance at his lectures at both Omkarananda Educational
Institutions, benefited from the wisdom of such a divine, intellectual and
humanitarian person. We certainly are grateful for this tremendous opportunity
and are forever thankful to Sri Swami Suryadevanandaji Maharaj for his honorable
presence and words of encouragement and enlightenment.
Visit
of the Honourable Governor of Himachal Pradesh, Shri Justice V.S. Kokje, in
Omkarananda Ashram Himalayas, on 22nd September 2006
The visit of the Honourable
Governor with his wife in Omkarananda Ashram was a very great success. A grand
reception was given to him by the Ashramites and by the Students of the
Omkarananda Institute of Management & Technology. He was specially garlanded by
the Omkarananda-Ashram-President, H.H. Mahant Shri Swami Vishveshwarananda, and
received by the Secretary, Kumari Somashekhari, and Swami Satchidananda.
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His Excellency, the Governor of Himachal Pradesh, Justice Shri V. S.
Kokje,
and his wife along with Mahant Shri Swami Vishveshwarananda and
Kumari Somashekhari after getting blessings of Shri
Omkarananda-Kamakshi-Devi |
He was welcomed with the
traditional Arati in Omkarananda-Kamakshi-Devi Mandir and first prostrated in
front of the Deities. After that he greeted the young students of Omkarananda
Institute of Management & Technology, gave encouraging words to them and invited
them all to visit the beautiful State of Himachal Pradesh.
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The honourable Governor inspected the Guard of
Honour presented to him |
In the highly neat and clean
reception of Omkarananda Ashram Himalayas he and his wife and all the associates
had some leisurely moments, and the Honourable Governor appreciated the great
works which Swami Omkarananda has done in the form of education in the area of
Garhwal. He felt that the vision of Paramahamsa Omkarananda Saraswati to build
this landmark of Omkarananda-Kamakshi-Devi Mandir is highly impressive. He was
speaking to the people that he himself was here, in the year 2004, while the
inauguration of the temple took place. The Governor also requested the Ashram
President Swami Vishveshwarananda and others to visit Himachal Pradesh, and he
further said, that he would greatly appreciate if the holy touch of Paramahamsa
Omkarananda Saraswati in form of some educational centres could also be in
Himachal Pradesh. He felt very happy when in the end again he could interact
with the Students and Professors of Omkarananda Institute of Management &
Technology. He praised them for their smartness, requested them to make use of
the beautiful Indian Philosophy and emphasized, that they should be very proud
of being associated with a wonderful Institute, created by the Sage and Saint
Swami Omkarananda.
Navaratri
Celebrations in Omkarananda Ashram Himalayas, 23rd September to 2nd October,
2006
The nine day Navaratri
Celebrations, dedicated to the Divine Mother, commenced with much devotion and
auspicious blessings in the Omkarananda-Kamakshi-Devi Mandir on the morning of
23rd September, 2006. The first two ceremonies conducted by the Pandits in the
Yajnashala occur only on the first day of the holy festival; these are the
Kalasha Sthapana and Ghat Sthapana. The Devi Murti installation followed, known
as the Devi Sthapana; this in turn was followed by two reverent Devi rituals,
the Devi-Maha-Abishekham and the Devi Puja. All divine offerings were given in
grand style by the Pandits, assisted by Swami Vishveshwarananda, Kumari
Somashekhari and Swami Satchidananda.
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A beautiful Altar was established by the Priests
of Omkarananda-Kamakshi-Devi Mandir |
Chandi Parayana, the
recitation of Shlokas in honour of the Divine Mother, was followed by an
offering to Omkarananda-Kamakshi-Devi in the form of Navavarana Puja. Guru Puja
in honor of Swami Omkarananda Saraswati and Arati concluded the divine temple
services.
That evening, attendees were
welcomed into the temple with the Sarva Devata Puja, a ritual dedicated to all
Deities. With the Agni Sthapana began the fire worship; Maha Ganapati Hawana was
the first yagna ceremony dedicated to Lord Ganesha. After Arati, Prasad was
distributed to the devotees present.
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Purnahuti by Swami Satchidananda |
Each day from 24th
September, 2006 to 1st October, 2006, different forms of the Divine Mother were
worshipped with piety and great affection. In the mornings, the same rituals
were performed each day: the Devi Maha-Abishekham, Devi Puja, Chandi Parayana
and Navavarana Puja and Arati. In the evenings, after the services for all the
Deities, a special Hawana was performed every day for each individual Deity.
After the first day, on which the Ganapati Hawana was completed, Mahalakshmi,
Rudra, Chandi, Durga, Guru and Tripurasundari were each honored with Hawana.
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Final Purnahuti on Vijaya Dashami |
The culmination of the
entire festival occurred on the 2nd October 2006, Vijaya Dashami. Sarva-Devata
Puja, Chandi Hawana, Sarva Devata Hawana, Purnahuti, Arati, Devata Visarjana,
Kanya Puja, and Suvasini Puja were the main offerings this morning; local and
international devotees gathered to assist the Omkarananda Ashram Pandits, Swami
Vishveshwarananda, Kumari Somashekhari, and Swami Satchidananda with the proper
obeisance to the Divine Mother and to partake in Prasad afterwards.
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Kanya-Puja by Kumari Somashekhari |
Nine small local girls took
part in the Kanya Puja and were appropriately worshipped as Divine Goddesses on
this day. Kumari Somashekhari presented each divine being with several gifts,
and the girls were offered special Bhandara after the ceremonies. Each little
Goddess glowed with the blessings bestowed by Omkarananda-Kamakshi-Devi herself.
A local woman was selected to receive the Suvasini Puja; this puja is performed
for a married lady, whose husband is still living; gifts are given to her as
another form of the Divine Mother.
The Navaratri festival was
enjoyed by all — a magnificent and holy occasion that gave each participant a
heart full of gratitude and joy for the Divine Mother's continuous grace and
blessings.
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