This 60-day festival marked the bicentenary celebrations of Aksharbrahma Gunatitanand Swami, Bhagwan Swaminarayan’s first spiritual successor, and was also one of the longest cultural festivals ever celebrated. It showcased numerous cultural performances and exhibits. It also hosted the International Convention for Better Living. The festival was attended by political and spiritual leaders, including the Dalai Lama and Indian President Gyani Zail Singh.
Festival Highlights:
- 8 million visitors from around the world.
- 15,000 volunteers dedicated tens of thousands of volunteer hours.
- 12,000 people promised to live addiction-free lives through an intervention and de-addiction campaign.
- 10,500 children and adults pledged moral and spiritual lives free of profanity, adultery, domestic violence, and violence.
- 620,000 CC of blood were collected on the festival grounds in just 59 days.
- Interfaith Harmony Events brought Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Jain, and Buddhist religious leaders under one roof to discuss interfaith dialogue.