July - September 2006

Vasant-Navaratri Celebrations in
Omkarananda Ashram Himalayas
30th March to 7th April 2006
Report by Dr. Doraisamy

Omkarananda Ashram Himalayas celebrated Vasant-Navaratri from 30th March to 7th April 2006 with full fervour. The Pandits of Omkarananda-Kamakshi-Devi Mandir conducted this festivity in the Yajnashala of the sacred temple.

Every day powerful prayers and additional Hawanas were conducted. From left to right:
Kumari Somashekhari, Swami Satchidananda, Sanjay Panditji, Suresh Panditji, Swamini
Vidyaprakashananda and Swami Vishveshwarananda

The most auspicious rituals commenced in the morning of 30th March at 7 a.m. with Panchanga Pooja and Kalasha Sthapana, in which the holy Kalasha was installed along the chanting of hymns. This grand event was followed by Devi-Maha-Abhishekam followed by Mandapa-Devata Pooja, Yantra Pooja, Chandi Pooja and Guru Pooja. The last morning ritual was Chandi Parayana that concluded with Arati, Bhog and distribution of Prasadam for the devotees and invitees.

In the evening Pooja was conducted for all Deities. Mahaganapati Hawana was performed after Agnimukham.

Kumari Somashekhari offers Arati to Gurudev Swami Omkarananda, Durga Maa
and all other Gods and Goddesses

Swamini Vidyaprakashanandaji offers Arati
during the Navaratri-Celebrations

From 30th March to 6th April 2006, daily in the morning at 8 a.m., Panchanga Pooja, Devi-Maha-Abhishekam, Yantra Pooja, Durga Saptashati Parayana were devoutly performed, followed by Arati, Bhog and distribution of Prasadam.

In the evening, after the Poojas for all the Deities, a special Hawan was performed every day for all Deities, namely Ganapati, Mahalakshmi, Rudra, Chandi, Durga, Guru and Tripurasundari.

On 6th April 2006, Ram Navami, a special Bhajan and Dance Programme was performed by Kumari Somashekhari and her students to worship Devi. A separate report of this sparkling event is given in the following.

Many Ashram-Devotees took part in our Navaratri-Celebrations with great enthusiasm.

On 7th April morning, Vijaya Dashami, the Navaratri Celebrations were concluded with Sarva-Devata Pooja, Devi Pooja, Agni Mukham, Sarva-Devata Hawana, Navavarana Hawana, Chandi Pooja and Homa, Maha Purnahuti, Kanya Pooja, Suvasini Puja and Devata Visarjana. The Hawan on this day lasted for hours and was very impressive. Swami Vishveshwarananda, Swami Satchidananda, Swamini Vidyaprakashananda, Swami Narasimhulu and Kumari Somashekhari took part in it, and many guests watched the Hawan with enthusiasm. Swami Vishveshwarananda, President of Swami Omkarananda Ashram, performed the auspicious Purnahuti with great devotion.

After completion of the Purnahuti, nine small girls (Kanyas), were worshipped as Goddesses with Puja, Arati, Prasadam etc. Beautiful gifts of various items were presented by Kumari Somashekhari to those children.

Kumari Somashekhari worshiped nine Kanyas and offered beautiful gifts to them.

After the Puja the Kanyas enjoyed special Prasadam.

Swamini Vidyaprakashananda honoured an elderly married Lady, whose husband is alive, a “Suvasini”, with Puja and gifts.

In the end all received the Prasadam in the form of Bhandara and thus the Vasant Navaratri concluded. Everybody taking part in it, deeply felt the unforgettable powerful spiritual vibrations of this beautiful event in Omkarananda Ashram Himalayas.

As every year, this year too, Omkarananda Ashram Himalayas has celebrated Navaratri in a grand way. Omkarananda-Kamakshi-Devi Mandir was nicely decorated with beautiful flowers and all kinds of lights. The evening of Ram Navami (6th April 2006) was fully dedicated to the art of Dance and Bhajans to glorify the Deities.

Before the function started, a powerful Yajna took place which was followed by Arati. Later on, in the Maha-Mandapa of the Temple, the daily Arati, prayers and worship were performed. After that the students of Kumari Somashekhari, in beautiful costumes, sang Bhajans under the guidance of Kumari Somashekhari as worship to Omkarananda-Kamakshi-Devi. This was followed by various dances. Every dance was explained by Kumari Somashekhari in pure Hindi as well as in English for all those non-Hindi speaking guests. The temple was packed full with the audience. There was a sparkling atmosphere, especially when Kumari Somashekhari herself performed the dances in front of Omkarananda-Kamakshi-Devi.

All important guests were welcomed with a flower garland. Among the prominent persons were Swamini Vidyaprakashananda, monastic disciple of Gurudev Paramahamsa Omkarananda Saraswati, who actively took part in establishing this beautiful temple, Shri Varshney, Shri I.D. Joshi, Prof. Rajwar, Shri Singhal, Shri Anil Mehrotra and Shri Kamal Narayan Mishra. In the end Shri Kamal Narayan Mishra, in a firing speech, addressed the public.

On this occasion, Kumari Somashekhari also introduced a group of her students, who henceforth will form the Omkarananda Bhajan Mandali. The release of a CD will take place soon. A special issue of the Ashram’s quarterly magazine ‘Vidya Prabodhini’ about the Omkarananda Mahotsava celebrations, was offered to everybody who attended this function. The function concluded with Prasad Distribution.

Swami Vishveshwarananda, the President of the Ashram, himself guided and addressed the function as “Master of Ceremonies”. Among the Saints, Swami Rakeshananda, Swami Satchidananda, Narasimhulu Swami and Veeraraghavulu Swami attended the function.
The audience was thrilled by the excellent performance of Kumari Somashekhari and her students and everybody appreciated that she has taken much pain in teaching this beautiful art to the children, who are coming from different walks of life.

Visit to Ruskin Bond by Students of
Omkarananda Patanjala Yoga Kendra
on 2nd April 2006
By Saskia, Yoga Student

Oblivious of which bookshop I was supposed to be to meet Ruskin Bond, I suddenly noticed an elderly man, stoutly built with a soft and kind expression, comfortably seated on a small chair amongst hundreds of books, stacked and placed in every possible corner of a tiny bookshop. This man I had somehow met before, it suddenly occurred to me that it was Ruskin Bond himself – and the picture became clear. Usha sitting next to him with sparkling eyes and a glow on her face, her book was being signed by him. I went in and sat beside him on the small stool at his other side.

I read but so little of his work, but the little I had read appealed to me. It was only four days previous to our meeting that I casually came across Ruskin’s writings in some small bookshop in Rishikesh. He captivated me at once. This man who writes with such sensuousness about India, portraying love for life in India, bringing back to life playful childhood memories, was to touch my heart.

To then hear that Usha had coincidentally arranged to meet Ruskin Bond in Mussoorie Cambridge bookshop was for me so exciting.

I could not help being playful as if I felt comfortable with him, as if I knew him always. I had remembered reading in one of his short stories that he as a child often read upside down and ever since for fun still does. “Do you still read upside down?” I asked him, he answered as if he enjoyed the question, with a playful smile he replied “Yes I do, when children ask me I sometimes show them how.”

Seated next to him, enjoying his gentle presence, he signed my books. I just watched him. He could have been my granddad with his blue mischievous eyes ready for sharing stories. The only stark difference being that he had adopted Indian gestures along with an Indian accent. As he asked for my name so to sign my book he looked into my eyes, his thick glasses seemed to make his eyes go smaller and sweeter.

Gradually whole groups of people came into the shop and without any sort of resistance Ruskin looked each one of his fans warmly into their eyes, asking for their names so to sign their books. He commented that this is not very usual to have so many people visiting (I somehow could not believe him). His English charm and politeness seemed to still be a part of his heritage.

The afternoon flew by. Meanwhile all of us Yoga students from Omkarananda Patanjala Yoga Kendra were gathered around him. Coincidentally a Yoga group from Delhi dropped into the bookshop to greet Ruskin as well.

Ruskin was surrounded by young Yoga ladies, and I think he seemed to secretly enjoy all the attention. We were offered coffee by the bookshop keeper and shared stories of monkeys sitting on potties and traffic jams in Delhi. By the end of the afternoon he concluded that it may be time to write something about Yoga as there are so many Yoga students around nowadays. I cannot but think of him as a charming gentleman who may someday flatter us all with a book about Yoga.