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Contents:
 Farewell
ISC-2006 in Omkarananda Saraswati Nilayam on 18th February 2006
By Monica Singh, Class XI-A
Don’t be dismayed by “good-byes” because a farewell is
necessary till we meet again. And meeting again, after moments or lifetimes,
is sure for those who are friends.
The entire family of Omkarananda Saraswati Nilayam bid farewell to the ISC
batch of 2005-2006 (Class 12 students), with tears in eyes but smiles on
their faces. The formal function commenced in the newly built Assembly Hall
with a Hawan by the Ashramites and prayers by the choir members of O.S.N.
The school captain Master Kshitij Tyagi and Shrey Chakravorthy delivered
very nostalgic speeches and even guardians of the departing students blessed
the students with their words.
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Swami Vishveshwarananda and the Principal
Col. Sachdeva during the Hawan |
Shri Swami Vishveshwaranandaji, President of Omkarananda
Ashram Himalayas, who had specially come to bless the students and who had
also taken part in the Hawana, addressed the students in his speech. He
appealed to the students not to forget their wonderful Indian Culture, the
importance of Yagnas and prayers, specially the Mahamrityunjaya Mantra (“Om
Tryambakam yajamahe…”), and he also narrated, how in a time of severe
difficulty, Gurudev Swami Omkarananda helped him, when he only thought of
Him. In the same way, Swami Vishveshwaranandaji emphasized, everybody can
receive help from Gurudev Swami Omkarananda while thinking of Him and one
should think of the Guru or the Divine not only in difficult times but also
in good times. Everybody present was grateful to Swamiji for his inspiring
words.
Special Invitee was Kumari Somashekhari, Secretary of
Swami Omkarananda Saraswati Charitable Trust, who was watching the function
keenly.
The formal function ended with the students seeking
blessings from the teachers and the parents.
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Miss Tutulika Saha and Mr. Shrey Chakravorthy
after their selection as Miss and Mr. O.S.N. |
Then started the much coveted informal farewell party at around 1 o’clock
when all the ISC students appeared in lovely attires, the girls all in
sarees and the boys all in suits. It was conducted in the school library by
the eleventhies. The students presented beautiful programmes which were
appreciated by one and all, the main attraction being the selection of Mr.
and Miss O.S.N. All the questions were replied with answers and it was hard
to choose one out of many. But finally Mr. Shrey Chakravorthy and Miss
Tutulika Saha emerged as Mr. & Miss O.S.N. respectively. The whole function
went very well but the end was nostalgic.
The students will always be remembered by the school.
Separations are
wounds
that none can heal
But memories are the easiness
that none can steal.
Visit
of Famous Sarangi-Player,
Shri Kamal Sabri Khan,
in Omkarananda Ashram Himalayas
on 24th & 26th February 2006
 Thanks
to Sadhvi Chetan Jyotiji, who left her home-country America, to settle down in
holy Rishikesh to live a spiritual life, dedicated to Indian Classical Sangeet,
an extraordinary personality in the field of Indian Classical Music, came to
perform on 24th February 2006 afternoon in the Yoga Hall of Omkarananda Ganga
Sadan. It was Shri Kamal Sabri Khan, the son of the world-famous Sarangi-Player
Ustad Sabri Khan, who is already at his young age acquiring world fame because
of his virtuosity in the difficult instrument Sarangi. Usha Devi’s beautiful
Yoga hall was full with her Yoga-students and local guests who all were eagerly
waiting to enjoy the music-concert. Also Swami Vishveshwaranandaji was present
during the whole concert. Shri Kamal Sabri Khan was accompanied on Tabla by Shri
Kishore Banerjee. Shri Sabri Khan presented a few Ragas on the difficult but
fascinating instrument Sarangi and he got a tremendous applause from the
audience.
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Shri Ustad Sabri Khan, Sarangi-Player,
accompanied
on Tabla by Shri Kishore Banerjee |
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Swami Vishveshwarananda expressing his
admiration to the great Sarangi-artist and the Tabla-Player |
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To conclude the programme Swami
Vishveshwaranandaji expressed his deepest Adorations and admiration to this
great Sarangi-artist and his accompanying musician. Swamiji explained the
meaning of the word “Sarangi”, an ancient Indian music instrument, saying that
the name is derived from the original word “Saurangi”, which means “hundred
colours”. It denotes the capability of this difficult instrument to produce an
immense variety of shades of sounds and expressions which can usually only be
produced by the human voice.
Shri Sabri Khan was overjoyed to hear this
explanation from Swamiji. He also expressed his gratitude to get the opportunity
to perform at such a beautiful place.
Kumari Somashekhari, Indian Classical
Dancer and Secretary of Swami Omkarananda Saraswati Charitable Trust, along with
Usha Devi, Director of Omkarananda Patanjala Yoga Kendra, assisted Swami
Vishveshwarananda by presenting shawls and Malas to the artists.
The function ended with Arati and
Prasad-distribution to everybody.
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Swami Vishveshwarananda, Kumari Somashekhari and
Usha Devi with a group from Malaysia,
who attended the function, including a Member of Parliament, Malaysia. |
One 26th February, Mahashivaratri, Shri
Kamal Sabri Khan paid a surprise visit to our Omkarananda Ashram Himalayas
headquarters, i.e. Omkarananda-Shanta-Durga Mandir. He came along with 3
musicians and Sadhvi Chetan Jyotiji. He was thrilled to see the extremely
beautiful Ashram premises and specially the arrangement of the beautifully
designed dance room of Somashekhari. Sabri Khan was in a very joyous mood and
admired the beauty and cleanliness of the Ashram. He then requested Kumari
Somashekhari to give a dance performance. He strongly absorbed all the movements
of Somaji, when she danced an item in praise of Lord Shiva. Shri Sabri Khan was
overwhelmed to see the highly professional performance of Somashekhari and he
responded with a very great clapping and a special praise for her beautiful
dance.
Afterwards he spontaneously expressed the
wish to perform a Sarangi Recital in our beautiful Omkarananda-Kamakshi-Devi
Mandir. He also sang a Bhajan there and paid his reverence for the Deities. It
was a great joy for all Ashramites to have such a great musician performing in
the Ashram. Shri Kamal Sabri Khan requested Swami Vishveshwarananda to accept
him as his disciple. He said that often artists suffer from loneliness in this
cold world and his heart is so much touched by Swami Vishveshwaranandaji’s
humbleness and saintliness and his divine joy, which he felt, is real and coming
from inside.
The visit of this great musician made our
Shivaratri-celebrations a very special and unforgettable one.
Vasant
Utsava (Springfestival) in Omkarananda Dipeshwar Mandir on 14th March 2006
Under the guidance of Shri Promod Chauhan, a musician
and Yoga-teacher in Luxmanjhula, a Vasant Utsava (Springfestival) was organised
on 14th March, which happened to be also “Small Holi”, the night before the
colourful Holi Festival. As venue the Yoga-Hall of Omkarananda Dipeshwar Mandir
was chosen, which is a beautiful Temple at the holy Ganga, just at the famous
Luxmanjhula bridge.
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Yoga-students and local residents had assembled in the Yoga Hall to attend a
performance of Indian Classical Dance. The performing artist was Km. Anjum
Bharti, a former student of our Senior Secondary High School, Omkarananda
Saraswati Nilayam. Already while being a student of our school, Anjum showed
great interest and talent in dance and music. After passing Class 12 (I.C.S.E.
Board) from Omkarananda Saraswati Nilayam in 1998, she went to Delhi for studies
in Commerce and Kathak dance. She got admission in the prestigious National
Institute of Kathak and became an excellent professional Kathak dancer under the
guidance of Guru Smt. Geetanjali Lal. She has performed in many important
cultural festivals all over India, including the Khajuraho festival. Km. Anjum
Bharti is a young, beautiful and dynamic dancer, with graceful movements and
brilliant footwork.
During her dance performance in Omkarananda Dipeshwar
Mandir she was accompanied by life-musicians, a Tablamaster, 2 Vocalists with
Harmonium, and a flutist. She had an excellent rapport with the talented
Tablamaster, Shri Shivananda Sharma, who was able to support her difficult
footwork up to the minutest nuances.
The whole audience was spellbound by Anjum’s lively and
graceful dance performance, which consisted of the technical bravuras of Kathak
dance and a few Abhinaya-numbers, Thumris, based on Radha-Krishna theme.
Chief Guest of this function was Kumari Somashekhari,
Secretary of Swami Omkarananda Saraswati Charitable Trust and Director of
Omkarananda Saraswati Natya Kala Academy.
Everybody present thoroughly enjoyed this cultural evening in Omkarananda
Dipeshwar Mandir.
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Note of Appreciation |
On 1st
January 2006, the Varshney & Agarwal Education Point of
Rishikesh under the guidance of Shri D.K. Varshney organised a
Samman Samaroh to honour Swami Vishveshwaranandaji on receiving
the prestigious “Pride of Uttaranchal” Award.
Very
special thanks has to be given to the Students of Education
Point who took actively part to make this function a grand
success. Kumari Neha Chaudhary and Shri Mohit took a lot of pain
to deliver an extraordinary speech in recognition of Swamiji’s
work. Our heartfelt thanks to these two geniuses.
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