1 October 2008 (V.S. 2064, Aso sud 2), Wednesday, Ahmedabad, Jamnagar
Swamishri departed from Ahmedabad at 11.00 a.m. and landed at Jamnagar airport at 11.30 a.m. He was welcomed by the Collector, Shri V.P. Patel. On approaching the new proposed mandir site Swamishri was welcomed by devotees waving BAPS flags, children dressed as devas showering flowers and youths adorned in accordance with the BAPS six-point theme of siddhant, sadhuta, seva, samarpan, samp and satpurush. Swamishri then went to the small hari mandir on site for darshan. Children performed a welcome dance while Swamishri gave darshan to the assembly. More than 2,500 devotees were present during the brief welcome ceremony.
5 October 2008 (V.S. 2064, Aso sud 6), Sunday, Jamnagar
In the evening satsang assembly Viveksagar Swami gave a discourse. Thereafter youths performed a drama on ‘Samat Patel’ – a dedicated devotee in the time of Shriji Maharaj. Then the Mayor, Shri Kanaksinh Jadeja, MLA Shri Laljibhai Solanki and district president of BJP Shri Nileshbhai Udani honoured Swamishri with garlands. Finally Swamishri blessed the assembly, “God does not take things away from anyone, but he gives to all. He will be pleased if we offer faithful devotion to him without being jealous of others. Through spiritual discourses our life becomes pure and through mandirs we attain peace by offering bhakti.”
Foundation-stone Laying Ceremony
8 October 2008 (V.S. 2064, Aso sud 9), Wednesday, Jamnagar
At the age of 87 years Swamishri personally wished to perform the foundation-stone laying ceremony for the grand shikharbaddh Swaminarayan mandir in Jamnagar. The Vedic rituals commenced at 7.00 a.m. The entire walls of the foundation pit were adorned with red plastic and saris. A small canopy was set up over the main platform for the ritual ceremony. In all, there were 27 main shilas. Around each of the shilas Tyagvallabh Swami, Viveksagar Swami, Kothari Jnanprasad Swami and other sadhus, guests and devotees performed the rituals. Thousands of devotees also performed the rituals with each having a foundation brick before them. When Swamishri arrived he performed the foundation-stone laying rituals from the main stage. More than 7,500 devotees participated in the rituals. After completing the rituals an assembly was held. The invited guests who honoured Swamishri were Mayor Kanaksinh Jadeja, Retired Air Marshall Mehra, MLA Mulubhai Bera, MLA Laljibhai Solanki, Collector V.P. Patel, City Commissioner K.N. Bhatt, IGP Shri Rabari, DSP Shri Jotangiya, Air Force Head Shri Harikumar and district president of BJP Shri Narendrabhai Trivedi. The former Defence Minister of India, Shri George Fernandes, sent a goodwill message for the occasion and regretted for being unable to attend the function due to ill health.
His message was read out in the assembly, “Unfortunately, I will not be able to be physically present, but shall be very much there in mind and spirit. This is because I deeply value and appreciate the great work of national pride, goodness and unity that HDH Pramukh Swami Maharaj is doing through the many BAPS services of health, education, culture and character throughout the world. Also, amazing cultural centres like Swaminarayan Akshardham in Delhi and Gandhinagar have become places of great inspiration and integration. But most importantly, I value the humility and simplicity of Swamiji, whom I have met a few times, and whose presence has filled me with utter calm and spiritual peace. Today, I extend my full support to the new complex at Jamnagar and the values upheld by BAPS… I salute all ideals and institutions that work for unity, peace and progress of our people and our nation and BAPS is one that I personally respect and revere. May the centre at Jamnagar help elevate society in the right moral, ethical and spiritual direction which remains the urgent need of our times.”
Collector Shri V.P. Patel said, “The BAPS Swaminarayan mandirs are centres of culture and character-building. Primarily they inculcate values among the young.”
Commissioner Shri K.N. Bhatt expressed his feelings, “Only through God’s grace can a mandir be built here. Pramukh Swami’s uniqueness is that no matter how great his works, he is simple, humble, polite and determined.” Mayor Shri Kanaksinh Jadeja said, “A golden sun has dawned in the form of Pramukh Swami in Jamnagar today. An edifice to build character is going to be constructed here.”
Finally, the assembly climaxed with Swamishri’s blessings, “The foundation-stone laying ceremony has been performed in the presence of God, officers, everyone and especially Marshall Saheb. The foundation rituals were completed nicely through the cooperation of officials, devotees, businessmen and everyone. The crux of the matter is that we should never forget God who has given us this life. He has given us this life so that we may do good works, serve the nation and society. People in our country have a lot of spiritual faith. There are thousands of mandirs in which devotees worship God according to their means and faith. Yogiji Maharaj used to say, ‘May God do good of all.’ God has given us this human body so that we can do our social duties, and offer service to the nation and God. Together with this we must also strive for self-elevation.”
The assembly concluded at 11.07 a.m. About 12,000 devotees were served mahaprasad.
12 October 2008 (V.S. 2064, Aso sud 12), Sunday, Gunatitnagar (Bhadra)
On the previous day Swamishri observed the ongoing construction work of BAPS shikharbaddh mandir in Bhadra.
After Swamishri’s morning puja the murti of Shri Harikrishna Maharaj was honoured by devotees. In conclusion Swamishri blessed the gathering of devotees. “Gunatitanand Swami, Akshardham incarnate, was born here. He inspired satsang in thousands and thus performed a great service on earth. We can have darshan of such a great person’s birthplace and also see the mandir coming up here before us. Though the village of Bhadra is small the great avatar of Akshardham was born here… You strive with faith at work, business, in farming and studying, similarly, by making effort and having faith in the words of God and his Sadhu one can accomplish everything. To become free of all misery one has to abide by the moral commands and also believe oneself to be atma, akshar or brahman.”
In the evening Swamishri went to the holy river Und.