HPI
DELHI, INDIA, February 25, 2004: Jagadguru Ramanandacharya Swami Rajeev Lochanacharya Ji, Yoga Shakti Peethadheshwar, Barfani Dham, a disciple of Barfani Baba Ji of Barfani Dham Ashram, Malviya Nagar, Indore, Madhya Pradesh, passed away on the midnight of Mahashivaratri February 18 at 12.30 am while he was on the holy pilgrimage of Kailash Mansarover. The above news was given a few hours back to the New Delhi Correspondent of Hinduism Today in a telephonic conversation by Acharya Mahamandaleshwar Swami Samvidananda Saraswati, President, Kailash Muth Trust and Bharat Sadhu Samaj, Nashik, Maharashtra, and Shri Arun Khonde, senior journalist with Gawkari, a leading Marathi Daily of Nashik.
Quoting a press release issued by Barfani Dham Ashram Indore and signed by Pandit Satchidananda Dwivedi on behalf of Barfani Dham Ashram, Shri Arun Khonde said, “Swami Rajeev Lochanacharya was on the holy pilgrimage of Kailash Mansarover and suffered from breathing problems at the height of 20,000 feet. On this yatra he was accompanied by his two disciples, Shri Deepak Rawal of Ahemdabad and Shri Manoj Bhai of Mumbai. Swami Ji crossed the China border on February 14 and reached Kailash Mansarover on the 18th. He did his special Mahashivaratri Puja Archana there. After he suffered from breathing problems/asthma attack, he was taken from Tarchen to Taklakot where he was hospitalized and given oxygen. After receiving oxygen, he was feeling better and undertook puja again at 10.30 pm. When both his disciples, told him to take rest he laughed and told them, “Nothing is going to happen to me. However if something does happen, make my samadhi here itself.”
Conforming to his wished the Lama Pandits performed his last rituals by positioning him in samadhi awastha [state] in the Kailash Mansarover area. Swami Ji’s ashes were immersed in the holy river Narmada in Omkareshwar in Madhya Pradesh where also he had an ashram. Swami Ji’s disciple Hanuman Das was declared his successor, and the title of Mahant was bestowed on him. On Sunday, February 29 a huge bhandara [community meal] will be organized at Swami Ji’s Omkareshwar Ashram.”
This correspondent had the previlege of spending a few hours with Swami Ji and interviewing him at the recent Nashik Kumbha Mela. Swami Ji played a leading role in the organization of a meeting of saints which was attended by over ten thousand devotees and pilgrims in the polo grounds of Nashik, which was covered by Hinduism Today.
Swami Ji belonged to Akhil Bhartiya Digambar Ani Akhara and was bestowed with the title of Jagadguru at a very early age. He was a part of Barfani Dham Khalsa. Swami Ji preached the technique of “Om Kriya Yoga” and had disciples in Canada, Australia, USA and UK. This correspondent was given a soul-uplifting demonstration of Om Kriya Yoga on his request when he interviewed the Swami in Nashik.