As part of his centenary celebrations, the entire BAPS family is honoured this year to celebrate the 96th birth anniversary of Guruhari Pramukh Swami Maharaj. The festival will be celebrated in the divine presence of Pragat Brahmaswarup Mahant Swami Maharaj in Surat. Everyone is invited to attend this unique occasion.

A few points to keep in mind so all devotees can enjoy the festival:

• The celebration will take place from 6:00pm to 9:00pm on Wednesday 7 December 2016, Magshar Sud 8.
• Entry into the main sabha will begin at 3:00pm.
• Any devotee arriving that day should not go for Thakorji’s darshan at the mandir, but instead reach the sabha directly. Darshan will be displayed on the screen.
• Those with difficulty in crowds, fragile health, or very senior citizens, are recommended to not attend the festival.

Regarding Accommodation

• Devotees from Gujarat, Mumbai and Khandesh will be able to arrive for the festival on the day. Therefore, accommodation arrangements for devotees from these regions will not be available. We request your assistance in these arrangements.
• For devotees from abroad and outside of Gujarat (excluding Mumbai and Khandesh), accommodation will be available from Tuesday 6 December 2016. It is requested that anyone requiring accommodation not arrive before Tuesday 6 December 2016.
• Any devotees from abroad with personal homes or relatives’ homes nearby are requested to stay there and arrive on the day of the festival.
• Those devotees arriving from abroad or outside of Gujarat (except Mumbai and Khandesh) are asked not to request accommodation for their friends and family from Gujarat.

Registration for Accommodation

• Please register for accommodation online by Saturday 26 November 2016. You will receive a confirmation number.
• Due to the large number of devotees, accommodation will be provided in and around Surat. Please keep your vehicle with you.
• If for any reason you need to cancel or change your request, please contact the Surat Accommodation Office immediately.

For Hotel Booking

• Any devotees wishing to reserve a hotel room should contact the Surat Accommodations Office (number provided below) and receive information regarding nearby hotels. Thereafter, devotees should deal with the hotel directly.
• For additional details, please contact:
  Surat Accommodations Office
  Phone: +91 999 899 2010
  e-mail: [email protected]

• Swaminarayan Nagar,
  Subhash Garden - Dandi Road,
  Jahangirabad, Surat

Please Note:

• When arriving for the festival, please bring only necessary luggage. Do not bring expensive items or extra money. Take extra care of your expensive items, especially mobile phones.
• From Sunday 27 November to Tuesday 6 December 2016, the ‘Swaminarayan Nagar’ will host inspirational exhibitions, discourses by sadhus, a light and sound show, and other various cultural programmes. Devotees from Surat and nearby areas are all welcome. However, accommodation will not be available for those days.