Guru Purnima Celebration 
in Omkarananda Ashram Himalayas, on 15th July 2011

Report by Prof. Lokaranjan Guha

Gurudev, decorated with fragrant flowers, after the Puja.

In the morning special Guru Puja, Guru-Paduka Abhisheka and Recitation of the 108 names of Paramahamsa Omkarananda Saraswati along with offering of flowers and Bilva leaves were performed in the Pranapratishtha Shrine of Omkarananda-Shanta-Durga Mandir, by Swami Vishveshwarananda, Swami Satchidananda and Kumari Somashekhari with the help of Omkarananda Ashram Priests. The Guru Puja was concluded with the Omkarananda Arati and Prasad-Distribution. It was like a positive response of the Divine Mother, when exactly after the Puja rain started.

During noon on this auspicious day 120 young Sanskrit Students had been invited from Rishikesh. They assembled in Omkarananda Vidya Bhawan and among powerful chanting of Sanskrit Prayers they were served a delicious Bhandara. Their chorus chanting of Sanskrit mantras and verses, led by saintly Shri Siddhartha Krishna, filled the hall of Omkarananda Vidya Bhawan with powerful divine vibrations. The offering of Prasadam and Dakshina to these pure hearts, made the entire scene truly unforgettable. The Dakshinas to all the Sanskrit students were distributed by Swami Satchidananda.

In the evening many devotees had assembled in Omkarananda-Kamakshi-Devi Mandir. After the regular Bhajan and Arati, Kumari Somashekhari and her student Kumari Neha presented Indian classical dances in honour of Sadgurudev Paramahamsa Omkarananda Saraswati. It was again a different form of divine experience with colorful costumes and lighting, which thrilled the devotees thirsting for Darshan of God, but in a dance feature and joyful mood.

Swami Vishveshwarananda and Kumari Somashekhari performing Abhisheka for Gurudev Swami Omkarananda's Padukas.

120 young Sanskrit students proceed from Omkarananda-Kamakshi-Devi Mandir to Omkarananda Vidya Bhawan.

Prasadam is served to the students.	Shri G. Sukumar distributes Dakshina and Kumari Somashekhari recites Vedic Shlokas on the dais.

Bharatanatyam by Kumari Somashekhari.	After the dance performance Somashekhari is  giving her adorations to everybody.

Somashekhari and one of her students perform a Krishna Dance.

This auspicious Guru Purnima Celebration was brought to a crowning conclusion by a charming speech from President Swami Vishveshwaranandaji befitting the occasion. In that he reminded, that Guru is the guiding light, who removes the darkness of ignorance and the anxieties and struggles of life to which we all are susceptible in a varying degree. Guru, by virtue of a penetrating insight, takes us from this visible but unreal world of Maya into the world of the invisible but the real world of Truth. Swami Vishveshwaranandaji stressed on the importance of Guru Remembrance, and that Guru Purnima should be celebrated internally, in our heart, every day.

The whole program kept the devotees thrilled and also the audience from the nearby Ashrams spontaneously expressed their joyous appreciation.

The program concluded with varieties of Prasad distribution.