The Vasant Panchami celebrations in Ahmedabad this year were graced by the presence of His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj.
Vasant Panchami is an auspicious occasion for the Swaminarayan Sampradaya as it celebrates completion of the Shikshapatri by Bhagwan Swaminarayan, the birthday of Brahmaswarup Shastriji Maharaj – the founder of BAPS, and the birthdays of Brahmanand Swami and Nishkulanand Swami – two of Bhagwan Swaminarayan’s most distinguished paramhansas.
The sinhasan of Shri Harikrishna Maharaj (Thakorji) had been decorated specially for the occasion with a background of the ‘Akshar Ordi’ where Bhagwan Swaminarayan wrote the Shikshapatri.
The morning assembly began with kirtans sung by sadhus, remembering the life of Brahmaswarup Shastriji Maharaj and the glory of the Akshar Purushottam philosophy revealed by Bhagwan Swaminarayan. Senior sadhus Pujya Viveksagar Swami and Pujya Ishwarcharan Swami spoke about the importance and significance of the Shikshapatri and the divine vision of Shastriji Maharaj.
Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s arrival delighted the audience. After darshan in the mandir, Swamishri arrived on stage wearing a pagh tied in the traditional manner worn by Shastriji Maharaj. Swamishri viewed a short skit by children that recreated the historical incident of Shastriji Maharaj reciting the Mahabharat at a very young age, while playing the ‘maan’. Senior sadhus garlanded Swamishri to mark the occasion. Finally, Swamishri inaugurated two new English publications – ‘Yogi and the Magical sage’ and ‘Values for Children’.