4 July 2008 (VS. 2064, ) Friday, Sarangpur; Rath Yatra
Prior to his morning puja Swamishri performed the murti-pratishtha rituals of the abhishek murti of Nilkanth Varni for Bhavnagar mandir. The preliminary Vedic rituals were performed in which 200 devotees from Bhavnagar participated. Swamishri performed pujan, arti, mantra-pushpanjali, abhishek and finally offered prayers that Nilkanth Varni fulfils the wishes of all. Swamishri then blessed the devotees, “Blessings to all. It was your wish that Varni be consecrated in Bhavnagar. Today is an auspicious day. Varni will fulfil your wishes and make you all happy.”
Then Swamishri performed his morning puja. The stage backdrop had giant-sized cutouts of horses pulling chariots. Swamishri also blessed the assembly, “Today is the Rath Yatra Celebration. One should give the reins of one’s horses (i.e. senses) to God so that they do not go astray. This is the purport of this festival. It is celebrated on a grand scale in Jagannath Puri. God is also paraded in Ahmedabad. He gives darshan to countless to make all happy.”
After Thakorji’s darshan Swamishri sat in a golf cart that had been decorated into a chariot. After Thakorji’s pujan the chariot was steered towards the Yagnapurush Smruti Mandir amidst tunes played by the local band and bhajans sung by sadhus. On arriving at the Smruti Mandir senior sadhus performed arti of Thakorji and Swamishri also performed arti of Thakorji and the murti of Shastriji Maharaj. While doing pradakshina of the Smruti Mandir all the sadhus played kartals. The procession returned to the mandir and circumambulated it three times with the same feeling of bhakti. Devotees were pleased with the darshan of the Rath Yatra celebration.
7 July 2008 (V.S. 2064, Sud Pancham) Monday, Sarangpur
In the mandir sanctum the wooden murti of Ghanshyam Maharaj was reformed by expert craftsmen. Swamishri performed the murti-pratishtha rituals of the murti.