On 21 April 2024, from 5.45 p.m. to 8.15 p.m., over 60,000 devotees and well-wishers from throughout India and many other countries gathered in Sarangpur to celebrate the grand Pushpadolotsav (Festival of Colours) in the presence of Mahant Swami Maharaj. Countless devotees also witnessed the celebration through a live webcast on baps.org.
The colourful stage background depicted the mesmerizing and recently inaugurated iconic Swaminarayan Akshardham in Robbinsville , NJ, and the BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi. To celebrate the year-long ‘Karyakar Suvarna Mahotsav’, the background also symbolically paid tributes to the BAPS volunteers for their selfless community services. Mahant Swami Maharaj was seated at the centre of the stage along with the sadguru swamis on both sides.
The celebration assembly was themed on the ‘Karyakar Suvarna Mahotsav’ and ‘Antar Akshardham’.
Pujya Viveksagar Swami spoke about the spiritual essence of the festival of colours. He said, “Bhagwan Swaminarayan insisted on the observance of dharma even while joyously celebrating festivals. Pramukh Swami Maharaj often said that we have to colour ourselves in the divine colours of Bhagwan and guru. I pray to Mahant Swami Maharaj that we all be dyed in his divine colour of unfading saintliness.”
Thereafter, Pujya Ishwarcharan Swami said, “The spirit of selfless seva by devotees and volunteers is recorded from the time of Shriji Maharaj. Pramukh Swami Maharaj greatly accelerated this volunteer activity. Even during the festivals of Shastriji Maharaj’s Birth Centenary in 1965, Yogiji Maharaj’s Amrut Mahotsav in 1967, and Bhadra Mandir Pratishtha in 1969, we witnessed the volunteers doing extraordinary seva. In 1917, during the pratishtha festival of Sarangpur Mandir, the volunteer devotees served with great enthusiasm.” He further elaborated upon the seva of volunteers in the making of Robbinsville Akshardham and during Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s Centenary celebrations in Ahmedabad.
Pujya Ishwarcharan Swami also requested all the devotees to exercise their right to vote judiciously for the development and progress of the nation in the upcoming general elections in India.
Addressing the assembly on the theme of ‘Antar Akshardham’, Pujya Doctor Swami said, “Our aim should be to purify our hearts. If a person believes that God sees him, knows whatever he is doing and gives him the fruits of his karmas, then he would refrain from all immoral activities. Our entire life is a celebration if we focus on self-improvement and imbibe virtues.”
Blessing the mammoth celebration assembly Mahant Swami Maharaj said, “Yogi Bapa instilled a divine colour in everyone’s heart which never fades. We have all come here to get drenched in the divine colour. Think about the glory of Bhagwan we have attained (prapti). To soak in Bhagwan’s divine colour, we need to first remove the worldly colours or desires. I pray to Bhagwan that his divine colour continues to impress upon us.”
Thereafter, Swamishri performed pujan and arti of Shri Akshar-Purushottam Maharaj and devoutly sprayed them with saffron-scented water. At the same time, Shri Akshar-Purushottam Maharaj sprayed Swamishri with coloured water.
Finally, Swamishri sprayed the sadguru and senior swamis and all the joyous devotees with sanctified saffron-scented water. Thereafter, all departed home with prasad dishes and joyous memories of the occasion.
In all, 8,000 volunteers served in 30 different departments to ensure the efficient planning, preparation and execution of the celebration.