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Contents:
 Students'
Conference on Environment at Vyapar
Sabha Bhawan, Rishikesh on 14th May 2005
His Holiness
Swami Vishweshwarananda Maharaj, inaugurated the “Students’ Conference on
Environment” convened by Prof. G.S. Rajwar, Head of Dept. Zoology, Govt. P.G.
College, Rishikesh, at Vyapar Sabha Bhawan, Rishikesh.
In his inaugural
address Swamiji called upon the students, professors and audience in
general, to work for a clean, neat, green Rishikesh town, and create
awareness among masses for waste management and pollution-free environment.
Swamiji further cited the example of the developed countries of the world
where spitting on the road or throwing out waste on the road, sounding horn
unnecessarily is a legally punishable offence, whereas in our cities in
India the streets are full of garbage, overflowing with sewage water etc.
The banks/beaches of the holy Ganga are polluted horribly with piles of
garbage and polythene bags scattered here and there – a horrible sight. The
sewage water also overflows on the famous holy ghats, bathing ghats, of the
Ganga. Hence it is the duty of everyone to work for it and keep the city
neat and clean.
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Swami Vishweshwaranandaji addressing the
Students’ Conference on Environment |
Prof. Rajwar,
a noted environmentalist, welcomed Swami Vishweshwaranandaji, the Chief
Guest, in the conference and introduced him as great educationist for his
contributions for primary, secondary and higher education of the State. He
highlighted the problems of environmental pollution, which is adversely
affecting the traditions and life style of the local inhabitants also.
Capt. D.D. Tiwari, Ex-Principal, presided over the conference and dwelt upon
the problems of the air, water and noise pollution and called upon the
students for a dynamic awareness for a clean, neat environment. He further
appreciated the participating students for presenting the informative papers
at the conference, especially the local public schools, Modern School,
Rishikesh Public School, etc. of the town.
Shri I.D. Joshi,
ex-Principal, called upon the audience to follow the path of ancient Vedic
culture of natural living and simple life, avoiding the modern luxurious
life of consumerism. The inspiring words of Schumacher, a great environment
philosopher, “small is the beautiful” should be the motto of our life.
Students of
various schools and colleges of the town enthusiastically participated in
the conference, organised by Dr. Krishna Upreti and Dr. Manog Dholakhandi.
The other dignitaries in the conference were Dr. S.L. Bhatt, faculty member
of P.G. College, Dr. H.K. Joshi, Dr. R.K. Gupta, who judged performance of
the students and contributed to making it a grand success.
Devi
Jagran, Muni-ki-reti - 14th May 2005
On 14th May 2005 a
great Devi Jagran was organised by the “Maa Bhagawati Jagran Samiti” in
Bhajangarh, Muni-ki-reti, Distt. Tehri Garhwal, which lasted the whole night
till the morning of 15th May. A huge crowd of devotees of the whole area had
assembled to take part in the Jagran.
Swami
Vishweshwarananda, President of Omkarananda Ashram Himalayas, had been specially
invited as a Chief Guest to inaugurate this function by lighting the Deepa in
front of the Devi Murti.
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Shri Ramvallabha Bhatt guiding
through the function |
Shri Ramavallabha
Bhatt, Advocate, guided through the function. He praised the extraordinary
religious and educational contribution of Omkarananda Ashram towards the whole
Garhwal area. He also informed the public that recently the Omkarananda-Kamakshi-Devi
Mandir, in Omkarananda Ashram, Muni-ki-reti, was built in South Indian style. He
said that this temple is unique in its beauty and purity in the whole Himalayan
area and everybody should visit it and get spiritual and aesthetic delight by
its Darshan.
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Kumari Somashekhari
performs a devotional dance |
Kumari
Somashekhari, Director of Omkarananda Saraswati Natya Kala Academy, had been
requested to give a religious dance performance in front of the Divine Mother
Murti as a spiritual offering. After her dance Kumari Somashekhari sang a Devi
Bhajan in the local Garhwali language, in which the whole public took part.
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Kumari Somashekhari is singing a Devi-Bhajan in the local
Garhwali language |
The audience was
totally spellbound to hear a song in their local language with the perfect
pronunciation. Kumari Somashekhari was undoubtedly the main attraction on that
wonderful occasion. Several days afterwards the local network has telecast her
performances on the TV.
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Swami Vishweshwarananda
addresses the devotees |
Swami
Vishweshwarananda, Chief Guest of this function, was requested to bless all
devotees with his inspiring words. Swamiji congratulated the devotees for
organizing such a holy function. He said that Durga Devi destroys our spiritual
ignorance and when we pray honestly to Her we can derive true and everlasting
happiness in life. Swami Vishweshwarananda also said, that it is a blessing to
be born in the spiritual country India and an even greater blessing to live on
the sacred ground of Muni-ki-reti, “the sand of the Munis”, the great Sages and
Saints. Swamiji requested everybody to make maximum benefit out this golden
opportunity.
The organizers of
this function and eminent local personalities specially honoured Swami
Vishweshwarananda and Kumari Somashekhari with shawl and flower malas.
Uttar
Pradesh Middle School Teachers Association's
Summer Camp at Punjab-Sindh Kshetra Inter College, Rishikesh, June 15-16, 2005
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Swami Vishweshwarananda lighting the Deepa in front of
Saraswati Devi |
Uttar Pradesh Middle School
Teachers Association Summer Camp had a grand opening on 15 June 2005, with
Yogacharyas and folk dancers of the Deva Bhoomi gathering at the Punjab-Sindh
Kshetra Inter College striking shades of Rishikesh’s tradition and culture,
during the opening ceremony at Rishikesh. The President of Omkarananda Ashram
Himalayas, Swami Vishweshwaranandaji, had been requested by the organizers to be
the Chief Guest of this function. He inaugurated the camp by lighting the lamp,
offering Pushpanjali to the portrait of Goddess Saraswati Devi and garlanding
it.
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Swami Vishweshwarananda talks
about education |
A knowledge that comes through
the activity of mind and sense-organs is mediate knowledge, mediated by our
sense organs – not attained by direct knowledge. Whatever you experience in the
Turiya State is direct knowledge. This is the declaration of H.H. Swami
Omkaranandaji. “Mantra mulam gurur vakyam” is Shastra’s declaration. That’s what
reflected in Swami Vishweshwarananda’s inaugural address. Swamiji stressed the
importance of knowledge and said “Knowledge is liberation, the purpose of life
is to get liberated, not sense gratification.” He applauded the Indian culture
as the finest culture. Swamiji urged the teachers to lead a role-model life and
reminded them, that they are always under their students’ observation. Therefore
they must be exemplary. In his comparison of Western thinking with Eastern
thinking, Swamiji told, that Western Knowledge is mediated knowledge, whereas
the knowledge of the East, which is preached by great Saints, is direct
knowledge. The reason why the whole world is looking at India, is just because
of that knowledge, and the great thoughts of the great Saints.
While thanking Swamiji, in his
vote of thanks, Regional camp coordinator Shri Varshneyji, former Principal of
Bharat Mandir College, Rishikesh, praised Omkarananda Charitable Trust’s
contribution to education in Uttaranchal and told, that Swamiji’s actions are
unique, and whatever he is doing, you can find some speciality in it. He also
appealed to all participants to come and visit the Omkarananda Ashram and its
beautiful Omkarananda-Kamakshi-Devi Mandir.
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120 Educationists from all over North India taking part
in Bhajan/Kirtan in our Omkarananda Kamakshi Devi Mandir,
followed by a grand Arati. |
On the next day, the 16th June
2005, more than 120 Teachers and retired Educationists from all over Uttar
Pradesh (Allahabad, Varanasi, Kanpur etc.) came, guided by Shri Varshneyji, to
attend the grand Arati for Omkarananda-Kamakshi-Devi in the evening and take the
blessings of Swamiji.
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Swami Vishweshwarananda distributes special Prasadam to
the Educationists |
After the Arati all Educationists got a special Prasadam, Devi Kumkum and
Rudraksha beads. One of the leading educationists of the summer camp said in the
temple, addressing all his colleagues and also Swami Vishweshwarananda and
others, that Omkarananda Ashram and its temple are so extremely beautiful, holy,
clean and peaceful, that he really feels, that if there is any Heaven on earth,
it is here in Omkarananda Ashram Himalayas. He further added that coming here
was the most blissful experience for him.
Sadananda
Murti
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