Raj Sadosh

Abohar: Thousands of devotees in India and abroad joined the online celebrations of Pushpdolotsav in the presence of guruhari Mahant Swami Maharaj, spiritual head of the BAPS Swaminarayan organisation. He has been presently staying at Nenpur village near Ahmedabad.

The early morning celebration assembly, which was webcast live, began with Mahant Swami Maharaj’s puja darshan. Swamishri was seated on a small dais under a sprawling banyan tree in the grounds of Shantivan in Nenpur. To his right was a 12-door hindola, similar to that used for Bhagwan Swaminarayan during the historic Fuldol festival in Vartal.

At the centre of the hindola were the murtis of Shri Akshar-Purushottam Maharaj surrounded by ornate bowls of colorful powders. The serene rustic settings added to the devotional atmosphere.

During Swamishri’s puja, in between bhajans sung by swamis in Sarangpur, Narayanmuni Swami concisely narrated the glory and traditions of the Fuldol festival celebrations since the time of Bhagwan Swaminarayan. After Swamishri’s puja, a video reliving the past Pushpdolotsav celebrations in the presence of Pramukh Swami Maharaj and Mahant Swami Maharaj was shown.

 

During Swamishri’s puja, in between bhajans sung by swamis in Sarangpur, Narayanmuni Swami concisely narrated the glory and traditions of the Fuldol festival celebrations since the time of Bhagwan Swaminarayan. After Swamishri’s puja, a video reliving the past Pushpdolotsav celebrations in the presence of Pramukh Swami Maharaj and Mahant Swami Maharaj was shown.

Thereafter, Pujya Ishwercharan Swami, Director BAPS International services at Ahmedabad, and another senior swami Pujya Swayamparkash (Dr) Swami, in Sarangpur, spoke on the spiritual significance of the Fuldol celebration.
Then, Swamishri, seated inside the sanctified 12-door hindola, was honored with a garland by Pujya Atamswarup Swami. Celebratory bhajans were sung while Swamishri was gently rocked in the hindola.

Afterwards, Swamishri blessed the assembly, emphasizing Bhagwan Swaminarayan’s insistence in the observance of dharma even while joyously celebrating festivals.

Thereafter, Swamishri performed puja and aarti of Shri Hari Krishna Maharaj and Shri Gunatitanand Swami, and devoutly sprayed them with saffron-scented water. At the same time, Swamishri, too, was sprayed with sanctified water from small sprays by Shri Hari Krishna Maharaj and Gunatitanand Swami ji.

Finally, Swamishri took a large spray in hand and virtually sprayed all the devotees at their homes with sanctified saffron-scented water.

In this way, the Pushpdolotsav celebration assembly, which had commenced under the backdrop of the bright full moon, concluded amid the cool morning sunlight.