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Vachanamrut Bicentennial Celebration, UK & Europe

14 Dec 2019 to 15 Dec 2019

Swamis inaugurate the celebration by lighting lamps and performing pujan of the Vachanamrut

The theatrical production, <i>‘The Vachanamrut: An Unexpected Journey’</i>, began with an opening soliloquy delivered by an overwhelmed father of two, Chandresh Patel

The theatrical production, ‘The Vachanamrut: An Unexpected Journey’, began with an opening soliloquy delivered by an overwhelmed father of two, Chandresh Patel

The audience engrossed in the opening soliloquy

The play follows the life of Chandresh’s younger child Tilak (L), a bright young boy experiencing life as a roller-coaster of emotions - both at school and at home…

…whilst constantly feeling a sense of self-doubt in the shadow of his elder brother Yogi (R)

Chandresh, in an attempt to capture his children’s interest in the Vachanamrut, creates a fictitious secret agent, 008, as a storytelling medium for the Vachanamrut

The audience observes Tilak drifting asleep midway through Chandresh’s descriptive story, in which the play thereafter follows Tilak’s imagination through his dream state

Tilak’s dream transports the audience back to 1821 where 008 receives his debut mission

008 is assigned the covert operation ‘Mission Swaminarayan’ by his superior

008's mission is defined by three key objectives…

... 1) Who is Bhagwan Swaminarayan? 2) How do his words affect people’s lives? 3) Will his presence remain?

008 embarks upon a treacherous journey across the world to India

After reaching India, 008 travels by land to Gadhada, Gujarat

Anupam Swami introduces the Vachanamrut and highlights its authenticity

The audience is welcomed to Gadhada through a solo traditional folk song and dance…

…which ends with a spectacular sunrise sequence over the village of Gadhada

A typical day in the village of Gadhada

A disguised 008, with the new alias ‘Dubli’, arrives in Gadhada in search for Bhagwan Swaminarayan

The audience is captivated by the stage performance

Chandresh, who plays the role of a villager within Tilak’s dream, introduces 008 to Dada Khachar’s darbar through an exhilarating musical number

A musical number was performed by various villagers in anticipation for Bhagwan Swaminarayan’s arrival

Paramhansas along with devotees arrive in Dada Khachar’s darbar in preparation for Bhagwan Swaminarayan’s arrival

Bhagwan Swaminarayan arrives in Dada Khachar’s darbar

Bhagwan Swaminarayan gracefully sits amongst the paramhansas and devotees in the darbar

The audience enjoy the creative mediums through which the play is delivered

Yogi, who plays the role of a child villager within Tilak’s dream, accompanies 008 to the banks of the River Ghela where they meet Dinanath Bhatt

As the sun sets in Gadhada, paramhansas make their way to Akshar Ordi, the residence of Bhagwan Swaminarayan…

…whilst devoutly singing nighttime kirtans in unison

A paramhansa plays the sitar to accompany a devotional nighttime kirtan

008 ploys to perform his first piece of direct espionage on Bhagwan Swaminarayan

The audience is gripped as 008 edges closer to Akshar Ordi

008 waits for the paramhansas to complete their nighttime kirtans

Chandresh and Yogi are tasked with doing a security round by Dada Khachar

008’s fate hangs in the balance as Chandresh and Yogi discover him near Akshar Ordi late at night

Tyagratna Swami expands upon Bhagwan Swaminarayan’s personality through various Vachanamruts

Tilak awakes from his dream only to find himself late for school

Tilak and his father suddenly have an early morning spat before heading into school

Tilak’s seat is seen empty as the class nears its end

Tilak’s struggles continue at school

Tilak unleashes his frustration as he gets increasingly overwhelmed

The audience empathises with Tilak’s struggles

Tilak arrives home where his father means to apologise for their earlier argument

Chandresh tells Tilak about a special volunteering session taking place at the mandir in a few hours

The audience enjoy the language-barriered conversation between father and son

Yagnatilak Swami explores the day-to-day applicability of the Vachanamrut's timeless teachings

008 'breaks the fourth wall' and deliberates on how to win back Yogi’s trust

008 listens attentively as Yogi expands upon Bhagwan Swaminarayan’s teachings on the swabhavs

Tilak thereafter awakes refreshed and decides to go to the mandir according to his father’s wishes

Tilak and his father engage in another heated argument en route to the mandir as Chandresh once again accidentally compares him to Yogi

Tilak reaches the mandir in time for the evening arti

Attendees perform the evening arti

Satyavrat Swami elaborates on Bhagwan Swaminarayan’s teachings about eradicating one’s swabhavs

Tilak and his friend volunteer at the mandir

Tilak begins to ponder upon his dreams as he realises the similarities within the Vachanamrut

Tilak introspects upon his actions and their underlying swabhavs

As Tilak treats himself to a nap, Yogi desperately pleas with his father to allow him to travel with Bhagwan Swaminarayan

The journey follows 008, Chandresh and Yogi to Vartal, where the festival of Holi is being celebrated

The musical number echoed the words <i>‘Vartal gaam fulvadiye re, Hindolo ambani dal’</i>

The musical number echoed the words ‘Vartal gaam fulvadiye re, Hindolo ambani dal’

Bhagwan Swaminarayan arrives in Vartal and plays Holi with his devotees

The devotees dance down the aisle immersing the audience within the celebrations

Within the celebratory commotion, to his dismay, 008 drops his diary which is discovered by Yogi

Manoharmurti Swami defines the distinction between the atma and the body

Bhagwan Swaminarayan discourses in Vartal on the necessity of developing profound love for the Satpurush

008, in a frantic attempt to fulfil his last objective, investigates Muktanand Swami’s Vachanamrut manuscripts in order to understand the identity of the Satpurush

The audience is engrossed as 008 unravels the truth behind his final objective

Gopalanand Swami finds 008 struggling to grasp this knowledge and answers his final objective through a powerful monologue

008’s journey reaches a climax as Bhagwan Swaminarayan invites him to a personal audience

Yogikirtan Swami emphasises the glory of the Satpurush as revealed by Bhagwan Swaminarayan in the Vachanamrut

Paramtattva Swami finds a struggling Tilak in the mandir and offers guidance from the Vachanamrut

Tilak performs an emotive solo musical number expressing a reflective gratitude to the Satpurush

The musical number acted as a vital turning point in Tilak’s life, where he realises an all-encompassing purpose for life: ‘Every Action, One Question... Is Swami Raji?’

Tilak delivers an emotional plea for forgiveness from his father through a riveting monologue

A speechless Chandresh embraces his son to form the emotional climax of Tilak’s story

Yogvivek Swami delivers the concluding address on ‘Every Action, One Question... Is Swami Raji?’

An after-credits sequence showed another unexpected climactic end with 008’s resignation and a final message from Mahant Swami Maharaj, bringing the whole production to an end

The cast and crew of <i>‘The Vachanamrut: An Unexpected Journey’</i> with swamis

The cast and crew of ‘The Vachanamrut: An Unexpected Journey’ with swamis