On 2nd April 2010 a delegation of Saints and Educationists visited Omkarananda Ashram Himalayas, to have the Darshan of its President, Shri Swami Vishveshwarananda Saraswati.

The Delegation was led by the wonderful Lady-Saint, Saadhvi Dr. Rakesh Haripriya, Secretary of Vraja Academy, Vrindavan, which was founded by H.H. Sri Sripada Babaji Maharaj. Besides being a Sannyasini, devoted deeply to spiritual values, Saadhvi Dr. Rakesh Haripriya is also a highly cultured and educated Lady. Before taking Sannyasa and becoming Secretary of the Vraja Academy, she held the post of a Professor for Hindustani Classical Music (Sitar-playing) in the Delhi University.

On the Kumbha-Mela Ground at the holy Ganga, in Haridwar, during Mahakumbh	Saadhvi Dr. Rakesh Haripriya welcomes Shri Swami Vishveshwaranandaji, Kumari Somashekhari, Prof. Dr. Rajwar, R.D. Gaur and others at the Kumbha-Mela Ground, in front of a small hut.

Along with her came another highly educated personality, Prof. S.L. Singh, who is a retired Professor for Vedic Mathematics. Since many years he is strongly connected with Omkarananda Ashram, specially with Swami Vishveshwaranandaji.

A Yogini from Bangalore and some more devotees from different parts of India accompanied them.

They all invited Shri Swami Vishveshwarananda to be their Chief-Guest and Speaker on the opening session of the 3 days National Symposium on Indian Cultural Heritage and Protection of Ganga and Yamuna, in Haridwar, at the Mahakumbh-Area, near the Ganga. They requested Swamiji to submit his speech on this topic in writing, so that it may be published.

They also requested Kumari Somashekhari to be present during this symposium and give a speech.

All of them had the Darshan of the beautiful Temples of Omkarananda Ashram, like Mahakala-Bhairava Mandir, Omkarananda-Kamakshi-Devi Mandir, etc. and they felt inspired and elated by the spiritual atmosphere of these Temples and the Ashram.

In the morning of 9th April 2010, Shri Swami Vishveshwarananda, Kumari Somashekhari, Shri G. Sukumar, Shri R.D. Gaur, Prof. S.L. Singh, Prof. G.S. Rajwar and others proceeded from Omkarananda Ashram, Rishikesh, to Haridwar and arrived at the huge Mahakumbh-Area, at the Ganga, at the beautiful tent of Vraja Academy. They first met Shri Baba Santdaasji Maharaj, the Patron of Vraja Academy, in a small hut, where they had some wonderful talks with this very humble, but highly scholarly Saint.

Then all were called into the huge Tent, where the Symposium started.

Dr. Chandra Vijay Chaturvedi, Special Advisor to the Minister for Higher Education, Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow, in talks with H.H. Shri Swami Vishveshwarananda Saraswati	Shri Baba Santdaasji Maharaj, Patron of Vraja Academy, welcomes Kumari Somashekhari

Kumari Somashekhari and her students recite Mantras.	Shri Swami Vishveshwarananda Saraswati, President Omkarananda Ashram, and Vice-Chancellor of Gurukul Kangri University, Prof. Swatantra Kumar, in a cordial and joyous talk

The Organizer of this 3 days Symposium was Dr. Chandra Vijay Chaturvedi, Special Advisor to the Minister for Higher Education, Uttar Pradesh, a very experienced and learned Scholar. He introduced the different Guests and Speakers to the public and also talked in length about the topic of this Symposium.

The Symposium started with the auspicious lighting of Deepas by Shri Swami Vishveshwaranandaji and other Dignitaries.

Kumari Somashekhari, who had brought along with her a few students, recited some Mantras together with them, for the welfare of all.

The initiation of the topic of this Symposium was done by the Vice-Chairman of Uttarakhand Sanskrit Academy, Prof. Mahavir Agrawal.

In the meantime the Honourable Vice-Chancellor of Gurukul Kangri University, Haridwar, Prof. Swatantra Kumar, also arrived and sat on the dais, next to Swami Vishveshwaranandaji , along with the other Dignitaries.
Other important participants of this Symposium were: Padmashri Dr. Anil Joshi (eminent Scholar for Environment), Dr. G.S. Rajwar, Dr. M.C. Trivedi, Dr. Raviprakash, Dr. Indra Jugran, Dr. Niru Gupta, Dr. Devmani Tripathy, Dr. D.R. Khanna, Dr. Pankaj Pant, Dr. Kalpana Pant, Dr. Naresh Trehan and many others.

Shri Swami Vishveshwaranandaji, in his lively speech, highlighted the importance of the ancient Vedic Culture. He also said, that people should not go away from this beautiful Culture, but should come closer to it, since it is the practical Base of the entire Life. It is a God-Made Science, which is a Gift to the human beings, as a way to come closer to Salvation. The present scenario with all kinds of entertainments, like TV, Inter-Net etc., may lead to misuse and thereby strengthen attachment to worldly things, which again can divert us from the Vedic Way of Life, which is a life of Purity. Swami Vishveshwarananda stressed in his speech, that all these modern Medias should be used very carefully and with Discrimination and divine Wisdom.

The strong response of the people, listening to Swamiji's speech showed, that he had touched their hearts.
Dr. S.L. Singh, Convener of this Symposium, also addressed the public, along with Dr. G.S. Rajwar and many, many others.

Kumari Somashekhari, General Secretary, Omkarananda Ashram Himalayas, addresses the audience.

Kumari Somashekhari also spoke to the audience. She emphasised, that not only outer pollution but also pollution of thoughts and feelings are endangering the world. She said, that though thoughts and feelings are not visible to us, since they are subtle, like for example radio-waves, they are still very powerful and exert a strong influence on the whole world. Therefore controlling and purifying our thoughts and feelings with prayers and Mantra-Repetition and hard selfless work, Karma-Yoga, is a great contribution for making this world a beautiful, peaceful and pollution-free place.

Many more speakers addressed the audience on the given topic of the symposium and all expressed their deep concern about the need for environment protection and preservation of the Indian Cultural Heritage.

In the end the Organizer of this wonderful event, Saadhvi Dr. Rakesh Haripriya, expressed warm thanks to all the honourable speakers and guests and honoured them with shawls and mementos.

Everybody felt, that the auspicious time of the Mahakumbh and the environment of the Kumbh-Area, at the Ganga, where this Symposium took place, were most appropriate for conducting such a wonderful get-together of great Saints and Scholars.

Dr. Chandra Vijay Chaturvedi, Special Advisor to the Minister for Higher Education, Uttar Pradesh, was delighted to meet the President of Omkarananda Ashram, Shri Swami Vishveshwaranandaji, during this Symposium. Along with Prof. S.L. Singh, Dr. Chaturvedi paid his first visit to Omkarananda Ashram Himalayas, in the evening of 9th April 2010, to have the Darshan of Omkarananda-Kamakshi-Devi Mandir and have further talks with Swami Vishveshwarananda. Dr. Chaturvedi was extremely happy to be in Omkarananda Ashram and its deeply divine atmosphere. Dr. Chandra Vijay Chaturvedi was very interested to know more about H.D. Shri Paramahamsa Omkarananda Saraswati, who, as he felt, was one of the rare and few Siddhapurushas, who had real knowledge of Shri Vidya. Before leaving for Lucknow, Dr. Chaturvedi expressed his wish, to come more often to Omkarananda Ashram Himalayas, and he whole-heartedly requested Swami Vishveshwaranandaji to accept him as his disciple.

The dignitaries on the dais at the conclusion of the Symposium