The crowning festivals of the Hindu calendar: Diwali and Annakut are celebrated by over one billion Hindus worldwide. In India and abroad, the festival is celebrated by doing darshan of the deities in the mandir, performing rituals, and offering prayers for prosperity.
Diwali marks the end of the year. Devotees close their old account books and sanctify their new ledgers with prayers for shubh and laabh – purity and sustenance.
This year, HH Pramukh Swami Maharaj celebrated Diwali in Sarangpur. Diwali celebrations included a special assembly with discourses by P. Viveksagar Swami and other sadhus. Swamishri then arrived and met the devotees. At the Yagnapurush Smruti Mandir, he performed arti and concluded the auspicious rituals for the “Chopda Pujan.” Mantra pushpanjali, arti, and the sanctification of the ledgers were all conducted personally by Swamishri.
Swamishri then returned to the main assembly where he was garlanded by senior sadhus and blessed the devotees. Here, amongst the thousands seated before him, he initialed the ledgers for Sarangpur Mandir. He then went for mandir darshan where he performed the sandhya arti of Thakorji.
The following morning of the New Year started early with mangla arti. Devotees arrived in the thousands for darshan of Bhagwan. A grand annakut was offered before Thakorji in the mandir, Shastriji Maharaj and the Guru Parampara at the Smruti Mandir, as well as in the sabha mandap. Devotees joined with santos in singing thaal and performing the arti at each location.
Swamishri graced the devotees again with his divine presence on the New Year day. Despite his delicate health, Swami spent hours over the past two days to fulfill the devotee’s Diwali prayer of, “Tamaso maa jyotir gamaya” – Dear Guru! Take us from darkness towards light.