Swami Vishveshwarananda Saraswati as Chief Guest,
on the 8th Day of "2013 Sangha Program", in Swami Rama Sadhaka Gram, Rishikesh, on 7th March 2013

 Shri Swami Veda Bharati decided to take a 5 year vow of silence on 10th March 2013.

To celebrate this event, a "Sangha" ("Gathering") of 450 people from different countries had been organized, which took place in Swami Rama Sadhaka Gram Ashram, in Rishikesh, from 28th February 2013 to 10th March 2013.

On each of these 11 days specialists in the field of Spirituality, Yoga, Ayurveda, etc. gave lectures to the devotees, and different Indian Classical Dancers and Musicians presented their recitals.

On 7th March 2013, Shri Swami Vishveshwarananda Saraswati, President Omkarananda Ashram Himalayas, had been invited to grace the evening function as Chiefguest.

Swami Vishveshwaranandaji attended this function along with Kumari Somashekhari, General Secretary Omkarananda Ashram, Shri Sukumar, Trustee, and Siddhartha Krishna of Omkarananda Patanjala Yoga Kendra.

They first met Swami Veda Bharatiji in his personal room, where all sat together for some informal talks. Then Swami Veda Bharatiji showed his libraries to the special guests and from there guided them to a big tent, where hundreds of mostly foreign devotees and participants of the "2013 Sangha" had assembled and were waiting patiently and silently for the evening function.

Swami Veda Bharatji (left), in his personal room, speaks to Swami Vishveshwarananda.
In the background are G. Sukumar, Siddhartha Krishna and Kumari Somashekhari.

Swami Veda Bharati in conversation with Kumari Somashekhari.

Veda Bharatiji is showing their Ashram library.

Shri Swami Vishveshwarananda was offered a seat next to Shri Swami Veda Bharati, in front of the stage, were a beautiful Bharatanatyam Dance Recital was to unfold by Prakriti Bhaskar, a competent Bharatanatyam Dance-Guru from Mumbai.

Prakriti Bhaskar was introduced to the audience, and then she started her Bharatanatyam dance-programme, which was interspersed with her own explanations and a film, produced by her husband, Shri Bhaskar, shown in between each of her dance-items on a big screen, at the back of the stage. This film helped very much to make even uninformed foreign spectators familiar with the art of Bharatanatyam, showing the growing and blooming of young dance-students into confident artists.

Prakriti's different Bharatanatyam dance-items reflected her deep involvement with this art. Since she introduced each of her 5 different devotional dance items herself, every one became aware of her lovely and soothing voice, too.

Prakriti Bhaskar performing Bharatanatyam.	Prakriti demonstrating a beautiful Mudra during her dance.

After her performance Prakriti was honoured by Swami Veda Bharati with a shawl and specially blessed by him. Swami Veda Bharati very much thanked her for her beautiful performance and also for educating the largely foreign audience in the art of Indian Classical Dance.

Then Swami Veda Bharati requested Swami Vishveshwarananda Saraswati to address the audience. Before that, Siddhartha Krishna gave a short introduction about Swamiji.

Siddhartha Krishna introduces Shri Swami Vishveshwarananda Saraswati, President Omkarananda Ashram.

In his speech, Shri Swami Vishveshwaranandaji emphasized the importance of a spiritual life, not lived in theory, but actually, practically. "We are getting old too soon and wise too late", he said, to which the audience responded with a loud spontaneous clapping.

He specially thanked Prakriti Bhaskar for her performance and praised Bharatanatyam as a wonderful divine art. He also mentioned, that Kumari Somashekhari was given Indian Classical Dance as a Sadhana by Gurudev Parama­hamsa Omkarananda Saraswati, and that she dances in the Temples of Omkarananda Ashram.

Swami Vishveshwarananda speaks in front of the audience.

A visibly happy Swami Veda Bharati.	Swami Vishveshwarananda, being full of praise for the activities of Swami Veda Bharati.

Further Swami Vishveshwaranandaji started telling to the devotees, sitting in the audience, how lucky they are to have a Guru like Swami Veda Bharatiji!

Swami Vishveshwarananda, in his powerful speech, was praising Swami Veda Bharati so much, that Veda Bharatiji, though having difficulties in standing because of some physical ailment, literally jumped up from his seat in joy, embraced Vishveshwarananda in front of all, and spontaneously took over the mike to return the praise he got from Swamiji!

Swami Veda Bharati honoured Swami Vishveshwarananda with a shawl and many books.

Veda Bharatiji offers Vote of Thanks.

Veda Bharatiji said, that never in his whole life he saw somebody like Swami Vishveshwarananda Saraswati, who, being the President of such a huge Ashram with 74 Institutions, is so extremely humble, so extremely loving and full of praise for others, though he himself would deserve all the praise!!!

Veda Bharatiji further exclaimed, that Swami Vishveshwarananda and his team have deserved liberation (Jivanmukti) for all the extraordinary hard work they put in with the Blessings of Swami Omkarananda for the benefit of mankind.

The audience was spellbound by this unexpected, spontaneous and heart-touching interaction between two great Mahatmas.

Thus this wonderful evening concluded in great joy.