April - June 2006

Special Bhajan Sandhya in Omkarananda-Kamakshi-Devi Mandir by Bhajan-Mandali
from Rishikesh on 8th January 2006

Though it was a very cold North Indian winter-day, eleven nice Ladies and four children came specially from Rishikesh to our Omkarananda-Kamakshi-Devi Mandir to contribute to the holy atmosphere of our beautiful temple with their lively and joyous Bhajans. The Ladies Bhajan-Mandali was guided by a devotional Lady, Mrs. Varshney, the wife of a leading educationist of this area, Dr. Varshney, former Principal Bharat Mandir Inter College and President of Education Point, Rishikesh. Swami Vishveshwaranandaji, President of Omkarananda Ashram, Kumari Somashekhari, Secretary of Omkarananda Ashram, all the Omkarananda Ashram Pandits and Dr. Varshney, Dr. I.D. Joshi, also a great educationist, and devotees from the surrounding area took part in this event.
It was a wonderful experience for all our Ashramites, Temple-priests and others, when the Ladies started singing their simple, but very joyous and powerful Bhajans in front of our Omkarananda-Kamakshi-Devi. The Ladies themselves also played the Dholak and Manjiras to give a nice rhythm to their devotional songs. On special request of the Ladies Kumari Somashekhari danced to one of their favourite Bhajans in the Temple Mandap, in front of Omkarananda-Kamakshi-Devi. Afterwards some Ladies from the Bhajan Mandali also got inspired and started devotional dancing to the beautiful Bhajans. It was such a nice experience for everybody to take part in devotional singing and dancing for the Divinities.

Afterwards, as every day, around sunset, a grand Arati was performed for Omkarananda-Kamakshi-Devi, in which also everybody from the Bhajan-Mandali took part. Many Ladies had come for the first time to Omkarananda-Kamakshi-Devi Mandir and they expressed their deep admiration for its extraordinary beauty.

After the Arati Swami Vishveshwaranandaji thanked all Ladies from the Rishikesh-Bhajan-Mandali for coming here and he presented them with Prasadam and gifts.

Celebration of Republic Day in Omkarananda Saraswati Nilayam on 26th January 2006
By Monica Singh, Class XI-A

The celebrations of the 57th Anniversary of Indian Constitution commenced with flag hoisting and singing of the National Anthem. When the guests and the teachers were all seated, began the series of enthralling performance, the first being the march past by the young OSNites. Then a group of 105 students delighted the audience with a beautiful Yoga demonstration. The lamp was lightened by H.H. Swami Vishveshwaranandaji. Thereafter began the cultural performances. The students sang patriotic songs and danced on patriotic folk tunes. There was an Oriya Dance, a Garhwali Dance and Fishermen Dance which altogether represented India, its culture and tradition.
A young orator from Class V, Ayush, impressed the audience with his speech.
And in his speech Swami Vishveshwaranandaji highlighted “Unity in Diversity”. He said that even in family sometimes unity is difficult but as compared to European countries, India is far better. Comparing Indian people with the people of other nations, he said, there is more warmth with the people of this holy country. A true Indian is an excellent example of a brilliant personality.

He congratulated the teachers and Principal for putting up such a wonderful function. And he ended his speech by saying that India is a very strong country in Asia and if this progress goes on, one day, India will reach the top of the world.

Our honourable Principal Col. (Retd.) D.L. Sachdeva came up to give the Vote of Thanks. First of all he thanked Swamiji for his great words from the core of his heart. He also thanked the Music Teacher and other teachers who had helped in the organisation of the function and also thanked the students for putting up such a brilliant show. Thus the programme ended and the students could enjoy all sweets presented by the Management. What did not end was the proud fluttering of our National Flag which showed that the future will add more feathers to the cap of Indian glory.

Amazing Music Concert in Omkarananda
Ganga Sadan on 26th January 2006
Report by Dr. Doraisamy

As an honor to the Republic Day of India, a colorful soul elevating music concert was organized under the able guidance and supervision of reverent Usha Mataji in Omkarananda Ganga Sadan, at the Ganges, in the vicinity of Swami Omkarananda Ghat.
Mr. Barunkumar Pal, Hams-Veena player and a disciple of the renowned Indian classical Sitarmaestro, Pandit Ravi Shankar, was on the stage along with Mr. Ray Spiegel, a Tabla performer from USA, besides a Tampura player and a local Tabla player, Mr. Shivananda Sharma.

The concert was formally announced to be inaugurated by Sadhvi Chetan Jyotiji in the gracious presence of H.H. Swami Vishveshwaranandaji and Kumari Somashekhari of Swami Omkarananda Ashram Himalayas to mark the auspiciousness of the occasion.

All the galleries in the spacious hall of the Omkarananda Ganga Sadan were full to its capacity with eager spectators. The programme began with sacred Chants on the public address system at 6:30 pm, spreading holy vibrations in the entire hall which was brilliantly shining in the evening sun with all its decorations. Thus, the function was ceremonially commenced after lighting the lamp by Swami Vishveshwaranandaji and Kumari Somashekhari, the President and General Secretary of Swami Omkarananda Ashram Himalayas, Rishikesh, respectively.

Among the different notes of musical realm, Mr. Barun Pal chose to start the evening concert with the gracious Raga Vageshwari with emphasis on the note ‘Maa’, that is symbolic to the devotional offering to the Mother Ganga, which was flowing down there at the concert hall with the eternal ambience of purity.

The devotion-saturated music emanated a fragrance of a powerful spiritual vibration, which echoed there upon towards the collateral rhythmic flow of the enchanting celestial immortal Ganga just nearby. More than three hundred visitors, mostly from the West, listened to the music with rapt attention.

This program was verily a sumptuous treat for music lovers as the amazing concert rendered devotional notes to express its love for Mother Ganga and extolled Her Divine glory with sweet music and love-filled heart.

Further on Shri Barun Kumar Palji showed his great musical talent with rendering of Rag Desh and Rag Bhairavi, which everybody enjoyed very much.

When that experience falls like rain into our Soul, we rise to divine heights. Language, country or colour is no barrier for merging into that nectarous joy of the divine Indian music. Its waves are now spreading out to all corners of the world.

The performance was coming to an end with the vote of Thanks by H.H. Swami Vishveshwarananda. On this occasion he briefly outlined the role of importance of Indian music in the realm of spiritual pursuits, besides its potential importance to those who would like to attain the harmony of mind and body that preciously finds its origin in the Pranava Mantra ‘OM’ as epitomized in our holy Vedas, and other scriptures. He said also: “When we sing the glories of the Lord with our sacred music, with mind and heart, His Divinity will flow into us. Our every vein, muscle, bone and hair will throb with that divine love.” Swami Vishveshwarananda told to the audience, that Gurudev Paramahamsa Omkarananda Saraswati said, that “the Indian Music is a music with ‘Heart’.” Where in the West the music ends there in India it starts.

The audience reacted spontaneously with a lot of clapping to Swamiji’s words. Swamiji again and again expressed his deepest Thanks and Admiration for the great musician Shri Barun Palji, who is, as Swamiji explained, not only an extraordinary artist, but also a very noble, humble and wonderful human being.

Finally, Arati was performed by the priests, and Prasadam was distributed to all.

Services Recognized Once Again
Report by Col. D.L. Sachdeva, Principal, Omkarananda Saraswati Nilayam

14th February, 2006, will be remembered as a red letter day in the history of Omkarananda Saraswati Nilayam, as on this day its guiding spirit, H.H. Swami Vishveshwarananda Saraswati, was awarded a memento and shawl of honour in recognition of his outstanding services in the field of education. The award was bestowed upon him in Ashoka Hotel at New Delhi by the Independent Schools’ Federation of India.
The Independent Schools’ Federation of India is an organisation of the national level consisting of more than 500 public schools as its active members and another 850 schools as its supporting members. It organizes yearly meetings at the national and regional levels. These meetings are attended by the Principals of the member schools and national and international dignitaries. The federation was established in 1999 and conducted its FIFTH NATIONAL CONFERENCE on 12th and 14th February, 2006. The conference was inaugurated by Mrs. Sheela Dixit, Chief Minister of Delhi. The award ceremony was presided over by Mr. Ashok Ganguly, Chairman of Central Board of Secondary Education (C.B.S.E.), on 14th February 2006. The award was handed over by Ashok Ganguly on behalf of Shri Arjun Singh, Minister of Human Resource Development, who unfortunately was hospitalized on that day.

A large number of delegates praised Swami Vishveshwarananda’s concern for education and the untiring efforts he is putting in for spreading quality education in backward and unapproachable areas of hilly state of Uttaranchal.

In his address to the august audience, which constituted about 300 Principals, a dozen odd bureaucrats, concerned with education at the national level, and illustrious educationists, Swamiji spoke on the philosophy of H.D. Paramahamsa Omkarananda Saraswatiji Maharaj enshrined in His saying, “THINK LIKE A GENIUS, WORK LIKE A GIANT AND LIVE LIKE A SAINT.” The assembly hall reverberated with thunderous applause on completion of his speech.