CHANDKHEDA, AMDAVAD, INDIA, December 17, 2007: Celebrating both the organization’s anniversary and the 87th birthday of His Divine Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj, hundreds of thousands gathered in a magnificent tribute. The programme focused on Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s engaged spirituality and his great saying, “In the joy of others lies our own”. A 3-hour cultural programme performed by thousands of BAPS children and youth was the gift to the leader of the dynamic spiritual movement.
The programme commenced with 50 sadhus reciting Vedic mantras representing BAPS’s Bhakta-Bhagwan philosophy, followed by a drama of BAPS’s founding moments in 1907, under Shastriji Maharaj’s leadership in Bochasan. Later, a speech by senior sadhu Viveksagar Swami explained how Yogiji Maharaj nurtured his satsang community.
Special guests gave personal testimonies about the influence of Pramukh Swami Maharaj in their lives. Tribals, doctors, government ministers and atheletes expressed appreciation for the works of BAPS. Anandswarup Swami described Pramukh Swami’s peaceful response after the 2002 terrorist attack on Akshardham, emphasizing how Swami has never allowed religion to become aggressive. Michael Whitty of the Guinness World Records Book paid tribute to Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s work by presenting him with two World Record certificates, one for consecrating the most number of Hindu temples in the World (713) and the other for creating Swaminarayan Akshardham in New Delhi as the largest comprehensive modern Hindu Temple in the world.
After the blessings, the thousands present performed arati offering their homage to God and guru. The programme concluded with a dance and fireworks display celebrating BAPS’s glorious first century and inviting its promising second century.
The Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) is a United Nations affiliated social-spiritual organization with 3,300 global centres, 700 mandirs, 780 sadhus, 55,000 volunteers and over one million followers.