August 8, 2013

Visit to “Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Memorial, Vadodara”

as a Vivekananda Vidyapith Group

                 Revered Swami Nikhileswaranandaji had invited all the Vivekananda Vidyapith people who had come for the International Youth Convention to the ashram at 10:00 a.m.  We all gathered at the ashram arond 10:00 a.m. We felt very fortunate to have come to the building that had been sanctified by Swami Vivekananda. He had stayed here in 1892.   Great personalities leave their positive vibrations in the places they stay.  If we tune our minds to these personalities, then we can feel these vibrations and uplift ourselves.  Thinking about Swami Vivekananda, we went to the prayer room.  We offered our salutations and sat down to do japa.  Then, we went to a room in which there was an exhibition of Swami Vivekananda’s pictures.  After seeing the exhibition, we all went to the bookstore.  People bought books and CDs.

Then we went to Swami Nikhileswaranandaji’s office.  He cordially invited us into his office.  We filled his office; people sat on chairs, sofas, and on the floor.  He was extremely busy with work–the convention was starting after a day.  But, in between work, he talked to us with full attention.  We had some laughs and talks.

Around 11:45 a.m. he invited us to go for lunch.  Since we were so many people, he had made a special arrangement for our lunch in the seminar room.  As we walked into the room, we saw that tables had been set and food had already been served on the plates.  Swamiji had special items made for us that are not usually part of the regular lunch.  Throughout our lunch he stood at the end of the tables and made sure that we ate well.  He himself did not eat.  He was attending important phone calls, but he gave his loving attention towards our lunch.  After lunch, we talked about a few instructions relating to the International Youth Convention.  We were amazed to see how he could keep his calm in the midst of important activities.  He asked all of us to come back on August 12^th, the day after the convention, if we were around. We had a very good morning. What a great way to begin the second half of our trip.

At night, we called all the Vidyapith delegates for a meeting at the Royal Orchid Central Hotel. Swami Nikhileswaranandaji had asked that the delegates compile a list of questions they had for Dr. Abdul Kalam, Shri Sam Pitroda, and all the Swamis. We were to send him a typed list of these questions, indicating exactly which questions were for whom. From 9:00 p.m.-11:00 p.m. all the delegates brainstormed questions to ask. Even though it was late, it was exciting to see the young minds at work.  They were engaged and thoughtful. Vidyapith’s students came up with very good questions. Ronak typed these questions on his laptop, and we e-mailed the list to Swamiji.

“Real activity, which is the goal of Vedanta, is combined with eternal calmness, the calmness which cannot be ruffled, the balance of mind which is never disturbed, whatever happens. And we all know from our experience in life that that is the best attitude for work.”  (Practical Vedanta, p-3)                                                                                – Swami Vivekananda 

Upleta – Ahmedabad – Vadodara

                 The youngsters and adults, who went to explore Uperkot in Junagadh, came back before 8:00 a.m.  We all had breakfast at the hotel and then finished packing so we could check out.  Today was the last day of the trip.  People were happy that the trip so far had been excellent.  The original plan was to go back to Vadodara from Junagadh via Ahmedabad.  But, Yagnesh Maharaj (Swami Atmadipananda) of Porbandar requested and insisted that we go back via Upleta.  He said, “It is on your way and a few householders at Upleta are doing an excellent service which you would like to see.”  We all agreed.

We got onto the bus and headed to Upleta.  We passed villages and farms, and then, all of a sudden, we saw an eye-catching building. A sign read: “Sri Ramakrishna Vivekananda Seva Samiti” and “Maa Sarada Bhavan.”

People were waiting for us, and as we got down from the bus they greeted all of us with great affection.  First they asked us to go to the prayer hall, the “Shri Ramakrishna Prarthana Mandir.”  The new building, the green environment, the organizers’ love, and the beautifully decorated altar created a very serene atmosphere.  Yagnesh Maharaj had told them that we sing dhoons and bhajans.  So they asked us to sing.  The harmonium was ready, and we all sat down to offer our singing.  We sang Thakur, Maa, and Swamiji’s dhoons and bhajans.

Then, the organizers showed us their classrooms.  Most of the Center’s programs are run by women and are for women.  After nearby village women finish their morning choirs at home, vans bring them to this Center where they learn various skills such as sewing, computer software, arts and crafts, and many other things.  They sell their products and earn some money.  Some of the artwork was amazing and could easily compete with exhibition items in art galleries.  Women and children also get medical help at the Center.  We heard that the organizers are trying to make this Center a part of the Sarada Math of Belur.

We were lead to another building where we had tea and were shown the handicrafts for sale.  Vidyapith’s mothers, daughters, and a few fathers were going crazy to buy things.  The products were good and they wanted to help the women who come to this Center. 

A small donation was given on behalf of all of us.  They wanted to have a picture taken for this.  We could not say, ‘no.’After everyone’s shopping desire was fulfilled, we got onto the bus.  The organizers stood lovingly to say “bye” to us and told us to come again.  We were glad that we had decided to make this stop at Upleta.

We had a long journey back to Ahmedabad and Vadodara.  On the bus, while thinking about the entire trip, everyone was filled with satisfaction. Some were emotional. By the grace of God everything had worked out well and we had covered so many things.  We wanted to reach Vadodara before dark, so we decided not to stop for lunch or dinner anywhere.  We had so many snacks and goodies on the bus that we could enjoy on our way. So every now and then we’d pass out different goodies, and thus not only did we have some fun but we also saved time.  We made small breaks on the way and soon arrived at Ahmedabad.  Several families were getting off here.  Again, the pain of separation came.  But, we knew that we were going to meet soon in Vadodara.  The bus finally came to the Royal Orchid Central Hotel in Vadodara.  We were exhausted but extremely happy about our successful trip.  We were thinking of all the people who had helped to make this trip successful and prayed to God for His blessings.  It was a big relief for all who were responsible for the trip.

Those who were staying at the hotel went to a nearby restaurant to celebrate this trip and ate a delicious dinner that included rotala, kadhi, laddu, and many other things.  That night the organizers had a very good sleep.

“This life is short, the vanities of the world are transient, but they alone live who live for others, the rest are more dead than alive.”  –  Swami Vivekananda

Excursions in Junagadh

             While going from Somanath to Junagadh, our bus driver slowed the bus and told us to look to our left.  It was an amazing scene.  We saw hundreds of colorful boats.  He told us that they were brought here for repair.

After a while we saw the forest.  Every thing around was covered with varieties of plants, trees, bushes, and green grass.  When we heard that we were going through the famous “Gir Forest,” a thrill passed through everyone.  People were thinking about the famous “Gir lions.”  Many were wishing that a lion would pass by on the road.  Our escort and bus driver had selected an excellent route.  Since there was a decent amount of rain this season, everything was covered in green.  Suddenly, our bus driver Rafik stopped the bus and whispered to look at the beautiful deer on our right.  He told us that a few of us could go down to take pictures if we did not make any noise.  A few of us got down quietly tried to take pictures.  The deer were very sensitive and started running.  We were chasing them on the middle of the road with our cameras.  A couple of us got glimpses of the deer.

After sometime, he stopped the bus so we could see peacocks.  The youngsters were excited to see peacocks.  Again, there was a chase between the photographers and the peacocks.  Gir Forest excursions were closed for visitors during the monsoon season. We had initially been disappointed about not being to visit the forest. But, these little glimpses gave us some satisfaction.

It had been raining as we neared Junagadh, and we were running late for lunch.  Our lunch was fixed at B.A.P.S.  They were calling us inquiring when we would reach.  Finally we arrived at 3:00 p.m.  We had a very good lunch.

Then we went to Hotel Indraloka.  As usual, we checked in.  Many of us were too tired to do anything.  But the youngsters wanted to see whatever they could since next day we had to start our long journey back to Vadodara.

Seeing their spirit, many others also got ready to go.  Quickly, with the help of Kalpitbhai, we called several rickshaws and went to Uperkot. 

There we found out that they were closing.  We made requests, but they told us to come the next morning at 6:00 a.m.  While some of the teachers were speaking to a local guide to discuss what else we could visit that day, the youngsters were busy looking up at something else. High above us on the fort walls, a peacock was sitting magnificently. It had charmed the youngsters.  They started to mimic the sound of the peacock—some of them sounded almost like the peacock.

We found a guide and a few rickshaws that agreed to take us the town to see whatever was open at that time. We stopped by at Ashok’s Shilalekh where the message of the great king, Ashoka, had been carved on a huge black stone.  The room was closed.  People went around and found holes to peep through.  Someone turned on the flash light from their cell phone.

Next, we went to the “Damodar Kund” where the famous Gujarati poet and saint, Narasimh Mehta, regularly took his bath.  Narasimh Mehta had written the famous bhajan “Vaishnav Jana to tene re kahiye…”  Gandhiji and many other had loved this bhajan.  It is considered a very holy place.  There we learned mythological stories and saw the Muchkund cave.

It was getting dark.  But, we saw the Giranar Mountain and a part of the forest.  We went to Giranar Mountain.  It had 10,000 steps and several places of pilgrimage on the way up.  It was dark and we did not have time.  With a heavy heart we climbed the first few steps and returned.

The final destination was Narasimh Mehta’s birthplace.  It was almost 9:00 p.m. and by now completely dark. There were no lights and it seemed to be closed. We entered the gate of Narasimh Mehta’s birthplace.  Intuitively some of the students started singing “Vaishnav Jana to…” loudly and we went to his house. Listening to our song, Narasimh Mehta’s descendant and his wife came out and stood there, listening to us emotionally.  He said that it was late and everything was closed. But upon seeing people’s love for Narasimh Mehta, he stood to talk to us.  He said that he was not fit to talk about the great saint, but he would share his thoughts.  Just like Sri Ramakrishna, Narasimh Mehta did not go to school.  He realized God on his own intense desire and practice.  Narasimh Mehta did not have regular academic education, but many received Ph.D.s on his work.  His poetry expresses the fundamental truths of scriptures, especially of devotion.  Such poems could not have been written without direct experience of God.  Also, his poems have all the aesthetic beauty in them.  The selections of words could not have been better.  We saw where he used to sing bhajans every day.  He was also going to devotees who were untouchables and would sing bhajans with them.  His cast people threw him out of their cast.  But, he did not stop singing bhajans with those that were considered to be untouchables.

It was really late at night.  We came back and had dinner at the hotel.

The next day, a few enthusiastic youngsters and adults went to Uperkot at 6:00 a.m.  They could not see all the sites because they were not open.  However, they were happy to see what they could and especially happy to have sighted lots of peacocks.

After breakfast we checked out and started heading back to Vadodara.  Swami Atmadipananda had told us that we must visit “Sarada Math of Upleta” on our way back.

That was our next destination and last thing to see on our trip.

Somanath Shiva Temple – one of the Dwadash Jotirlingas

We had many activities in the morning in Porbandar. We went to the Ramakrishna Ashram, Sudama Mandir, and Kirti Mandir. The walking and taking rickshaws took time.  It was getting late and we still had to reach Somanath before the 7:00 p.m. arati. We were happy to have a good time in Porbandar and soon left the city after having a delicious lunch.

On the bus, we all started thinking of Shiva.  Some were singing, some talking, while some were catching up on their sleep.  Three to four people were sick with stomach problems, but the team of doctors was taking care of them.  Those who were sick got the opportunity to travel in the van that was accompanying us.  This way they could stop whenever there was a need.  When people got better, they joined us in the bus and everyone welcomed them back warmly.

On the way, all of a sudden, people saw the ocean on the right.  It was very close and the coast was roaring with high waves.  All of the youngsters cheered loudly.  The ocean was inviting.  We stopped the bus on the side.  Unfortunately, the ocean was on the other side of the highway.  The driver had missed an exit to go to that side.  Now, in order to go close to the ocean, we would have to cross four lanes of the highway. Meanwhile, vehicles on the highway were traveling at great speeds.  We decided against taking the risk of crossing such a busy highway, and watched the ocean from the bus.  After some time, the bus continued to go ahead.  And what did we find?  The van people were walking back up the beach.  At the sight of them, all of the youngsters in our bus started to protest and said, “It’s not fair!”  They wanted to walk to the water too.

Well, the ride to Somnath was pleasant and we enjoyed great views of the ocean every now and then.  We soon arrived at the “Lords Inn” where we were staying overnight.  All checked-in and were rushing to go to the Somnath temple for the 7:00 p.m. arati.  Swami Atmadipananda (Yagnesh Maharaj) of Porbandar Ashram had called a devotee, Mr. Narendra Dave, who was going to guide us here.  We found him already waiting for all of us at the hotel. So we quickly got ready and rushed onto the bus.

The bus had to park a little bit away from the temple.  It was a long walk to the temple. We had to leave our shoes, belts, phones, and cameras at the counters.  After doing so, we all ran to the temple. The arati had already begun.  We stood at the door with hundreds of people.  It was a thrilling experience to see the devotion of so many people.  There was no singing, but the atmosphere was lively and full of energy. People were clapping with the rhythm of the drums and the sounds of metallic plates while looking at the Shivalingam.  Many were reciting “Om Namah Shivaya.”  At the entrance, devotees stood in line (men and women separately) to have “darshana” of Shiva. After arati, one could easily go near the Shivalingam and have “darshana.”  Several Vidyapith people bought “Ganga Water” and took it to the Shrine.  They poured the “Ganga Water” in a vessel. From that vessel, with the help of a motor, the water would go through a pipe and would pour directly on the Shivalingam.  It was a modern way of doing “abhikhekam.”  Still, it was a good feeling that we had offered Ganga water to Shivaji.

Then, our guide Narendraji led us outside the main temple.  Behind the main temple, there was a flat pedestal, a few feet high.  This pedestal is said to have been the site of the old “Parvati Temple.” We all walked up the steps and sat at the top. In front us lay the roaring ocean. There was a great view from all sides. Narendraji told us the mythological story of the Somanath temple.  It was related to the moon.  “Soma” means moon and “Nath” means Lord.  It is amazing that though this temple had been destroyed several times, it had been built again and again.  With the help of Saradar Vallabhbhai Patel and government, the temple was very well built and has since been well maintained.

On the right side of the temple there were beautiful, colorful statues depicting the stories of the “Dwadash Jyotirlings.”  We saw all of them.  Then, Narendraji took us to the “Swayambhu Shivalingam,” meaning the Shivalingam manifested by itself.

After spending much time at the Somanath Temple and being touched by the atmosphere created by the devotion of people, we went back to the hotel planning to come back early the next day.  We had a delicious dinner.  All then rushed to their rooms.  Our plan was to go to the temple the next day at 6:15 a.m. to attend the 7:00 a.m. arati.  No one wanted to miss this one.

Around 6:00 a.m. the bus left from the hotel.  The sky was full of dark clouds. There was thunder and it was raining.  All were wearing their Vidyapith’s T-shirts.  Many had Swami Vivekananda’s 150^th Birth Anniversary T-shirts, while others had Vidyapith’s blue logo T-shirts.  Our wish was to take a group photo in front of the Somanath Temple in our Vidyapith uniform after the arati. As we walked through the rain to get onto the bus, it seemed as though our wish was not going to work out.  We thought we would leave the fate of that wish upon Shiva.

As we entered the temple, we were surprised to see that many people had already come into the temple and had taken seats from where the arati could be seen.  Women were on the left and men were on the right, facing Shiva.  While sitting in the temple, we could see the worship of the Shivalingam on the closed circuit TV screen.  First they gave a bath to the Shivalingam, and then very artistically decorated it with colors and cloth.  It seemed as though there were very talented artists doing the worship of Shiva.  Meanwhile Trupti Aunty and a few students started singing Shiva’s various dhoons many of which involved “Om Namah Shivaya.”  Slowly all started joining in.  It was a very inspiring atmosphere.  The temple again filled with people.  Then, arati started.  All stood up.  The same emotions and devotion were rising in the minds of all.  One has to be there in person to feel the environment.

After arati, we all went outside to the left side of the temple. As we walked down the steps we could see the roaring ocean.  It was still drizzling.  We all sat and wanted to recite the Shiva Mahimna Stotra.  Trupti Aunty had made copies of the Shiva Sangeet in Ahmedabad.  Exactly as we were passing out our Shiva Sangeet copies and arranging ourselves, we heard the Shiva Mahimna Stora from the loud speakers albeit in a different tune.  However, all felt that we should recite it in our own tune.  All joined in singing Shiva Mahimna.  Those who did not know were listening and reading it with others.  It was a most memorable Shiva Mahimna recitation.  We also sang “Nagendraharay Trilochanaya…” All enjoyed singing the hymn and dhoon “Shiva, Shiva, Shiva, Shiva, Om Namah Shivay…”

Then, we decided to just look at the ocean and quietly spend some time on our own.  We tried to fill our eyes, minds, and hearts with the waves of the ocean and wondered about infinite nature of the universe.

Some students then proposed that we go to the “Parvati Temple,” stand there looking at the ocean, and recite the Shanti Mantras.  All were excited with this idea.  The ancient Shiva temple, the age-old ocean, and the Vedic chanting, all these three were connected as if it was the connection of the Vedic times of Rishis to the modern times of the 21^st century.  The Shanti Mantra chanting was very powerful.  After the chanting, all sat down quietly.  Spirituality was becoming tangible.  Pilgrimage properly done is really helpful for spiritual development.  Filled with inner joy, we all came out of the temple.

Guess what! Shiva wanted us to have a group photo in front of this great temple.  Rain had stopped and the sun had started coming out.  We were looking for a professional photographer.  Several of them came forward.  Finally, one expert came and everyone gave him the camera.  It was amazing.  The photographer said that he would deliver the requested copies of the photograph to the hotel in a short time for a reasonable price.  No deposit was asked.  It was all trust.

We came back to our hotel and had an excellent breakfast.  Narendraji was ready to take us to other known sites. First, we saw the Gita temple.  Shri Krishna’s statue was exceptionally beautiful.  His sweet smile and flute-playing pose was attracting all minds.  All 18 chapters of Bhagavad Gita had been carved on the pillars.  After saluting Shri Krishna we all sat down and recited Gita Chapter 15.  Most of the group knew it by heart.  The environment created a divine mood. We had good singers in the group and that helped.  The whole temple vibrated with this recitation.  Those who knew the meaning of the chapter enjoyed it even more.

Next we visited Balaram’s cave where Shri Balaram had left his body.  Then, we visited a meeting place of three rivers: Hiran, Saraswati, and Kapila.  River Saraswati had been underneath.  The pool of water looked like an ocean.  Narendraji asked us to do little bit of worship of the place of pilgrimage.  We took “Sankalpa” taking water in our hand to do spiritual practice. Our last stop was “Bhalka Tirtha” where a hunter had shot a poisonous arrow and hit Shri Krishna’s foot, mistaking it for a deer from afar.  When the hunter realized what he had done, he felt very bad.  At that time, Shri Krishna told him that he should not feel bad.  He had simply done his job.  Since millions were killed in Mahabharat war and his own army was killed due to an inner dispute, it was time for Shri Krishna to go.

After visiting all the sites, it was time for us to go to the hotel and checked out.  After checking out, we found that the photographer had brought the requested copies of our group photo.  All were amazed to see how fast he and his team worked, and the quality of the copies was excellent.  In addition, upon our request, he had brought with him a “nariyal vala”- a coconut vendor—who had brought many green coconuts. We all drank fresh coconut water.  It was a pleasant surprise and a great treat.  After the refreshing drink, the coconuts were cut open and we enjoyed eating the “malai” by scraping it out from inside. Fully satisfied of our Somanath trip, we all sat down in the bus to go to Junagadh.

“I will quote to you, brethren, a few lines from a hymn which I remember to have repeated from my earliest boyhood, which is every day repeated by millions of human beings: “As the different streams having their sources in different places all mingle their water in the sea, so, O Lord, the different paths which men take through different tendencies, various though they appear, crooked or straight, all lead to Thee.” (Look Shiva Mahimna Stotra, shloka no. 7)

–   a quote from Swami Vivekananda’s famous lecture at the World’s Parliament of Religions, Chicago, September 11, 1893.

Porbandar – Sudama & Kirti Mandirs

             After visiting the Ramakrishna Ashram in Porbandar, we all got into the bus.  Rafik, the bus driver, parked the bus at a place from where our next destinations, the “Sudama Mandir” and “Kirti Mandir” (Mahatma Gandhiji’s Birth Place), were walking distance. It was a 5-7 minutes walk.  It was fun asking people for directions and trying to keep the group together as we watched for bicycles, rickshaws, cars, cows, dogs, and puddles. Soon enough, we made it to the Sudama Mandir.  We were thinking of Shri Krishna’s love for his friend, Sudama.  At the shrine, we received “pouha” that Shri Sudama took to offer to Shri Krishna.  In the temple ground there was a maze, a “maze of life.”  A few students tried to go around the maze.

Then, we went to Kirti Mandir, the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhiji.  It was a little longer walk and through a busy shopping street.  We walked in a single line.  There were teachers and alumni in the front, middle, and at the end who were keeping eyes on students.  We were told to keep walking until we came to Mahatma Gandhi’s statue, where we were to make a right.  We took the turn and passed through an old city gate, where we found a huge corridor and building. We had arrived at Kirti Mandir.

We remembered what we had read and heard about Mahatma Gandhiji.  Inside the building we saw his birth-room, reading room, and other rooms. There were large paintings of Gandhiji’s parents.  Students liked the balcony-like windows, from which they would peek out and wave to other students who were on other stories of the building. Even though it was very hot outside, the inside of the building was cool without fans or air-conditioning. It was an impressive house. Those who had read his autobiography remembered all his childhood incidents that had happened here. There were many pictures depicting various historical moments and moments with great personalities.  We walked through the rooms thinking of the great soul Mahatma Gandhi.

Under one picture of Mahatma Gandhi, one can read the following quote:

“I have gone through his (Swami Vivekananda’s) Works very thoroughly, and after having gone through them, the love that I had for my country became a thousandfold.”

                                                                                                                                                          – Mahatma Gandhi

With the help of rickshaws we soon reached back to our bus.  We counted and recounted everyone in our group and made sure that no one was left out. Group leaders would take head counts. It was very hot and we were thirsty. Nayana Aunty had thought of this and asked Kalpitbhai to keep icy cold Nimbooz (lemonade) ready for everyone.  At that moment we felt as though we had a taste of nectar.  Now, it was time for lunch.  We had a lunch reservation in another famous restaurant “Swati,” thanks to the organizers.  After delicious lunch we headed to the famous Somnath Temple, one of the Dwadash Jyotirlinga.

“So long there is no coordination between body, mind, and the soul, no work will be done smoothly.”   – Mahatma Gandhi

Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Memorial at Porbandar

On the bus ride people were busy with various things.  Some people were checking their cameras to see the photographs they had taken.  Boys were busy playing games to sharpen their intellect and imagination.  Some were sharing jokes and laughing.

Porbandar was coming near.  I thought to recite Bhagavad Gita Chapters 12 and 15.  When we started the Bhagavad Gita dhyanam, Vijaya Aunty pointed to something outside.  It was a divine coincidence!  Out of the blue, we saw a big gate and lo and behold, on top of this gate was a large statue of Arjuna’s chariot driven by Shri Krishna, led by five horses.  It was beautifully carved.  There was no building or temple around—just the gate and chariot.  Everyone was thrilled by this coincidence. It was as though Shri Krishna was with us.  One can imagine how exciting the recitation of Gita Chapters 12 and 15 was.  No wonder our enthusiasm doubled. For a long time we sat in awe, thinking about what had happened.

We were getting late for our lunch and the restaurant we had reserved kept calling Trupti Aunty to make sure we were going to be there.  Trupti Aunty assured them that we would.  We soon entered the Porbandar city.  Our bus was huge and too big for the roads.  There were three difficulties: One, driving the bus thru the narrow, traffic-filled streets with trees hitting the bus; second trying to figure out the exact directions; Third finding parking for such a big bus.  Somehow, after some time, we were dropped off near the Swagat restaurant. According to city traffic regulations, we could not drive the bus through the town. So, the bus driver told us that he would quickly drop us off at our hotels after lunch and then he would park the bus at a proper place for the rest of the time.  We had to get around the city in rickshaws.

It was around 3:00 p.m. when we had our lunch.  It was delicious.  There, Nilesh’s Aunt came and told us to visit her house. Her house was only a block away from the Ramakrishna Ashrama.  But, first we had to go to our hotels to check-in.  Porbandar is a small port city. Therefore it was difficult to find a good hotel that could accommodate our entire group.  So, we had to divide into two groups. One group went to Hotel Kuber and one went to Hotel Kaveri.  We had enjoyed each other’s company so much thus far, that this little separation felt a bit painful.  Because of the small roads we had to quickly take our luggage out and stand on the sidewalks.  But Vidyapith people are disciplined, and we had no problem adjusting to the situation.  From the Kaveri hotel, one could see a play ground where there were several cricket matches going on.

After checking in the hotels, we called several rickshaws and packed ourselves in them- sometimes even accommodating 6-10 people in one rickshaw! This was an exciting experience for many, especially for our students.  They really enjoyed the ride.

The Kuber group was the first to reach Nilesh’s Uncle and Aunt’s house.  Nilesh’s Uncle and Aunty had visited Vivekananda Vidyapith before.  They were also associated with the Ramakrishna Ashram. When the Kaveri group arrived, the Kuber group began to head to the Ramakrishna Ashram. They had experienced loving hospitality from the hosts and it was time to make way for the new group to enjoy the same. Nilesh’s aunt was busy serving everyone. Tea, cookies, and even chhash (lassi) were being passed out to all while the kids enjoyed a treat of some soda and potato chips. Some of us sat around Nilesh’s uncle as he shared stories and some fun adages.

Finally, both the groups reached Ramakrishna Ashram of Porbandar.  One Swami guided us to the “Value Education building”.  We looked at all the classrooms and exhibitions of posters depicting the lives of Thakur, Maa, and Swami Vivekananda. There, we met a 100-year-old devotee whose great grandfather had invited Swami Vivekananda’s to his home.  He was related to Nilesh’s Uncle.

Then, the assistant Swami took us to the room that we had been waiting to visit.  This is the room where Swami Vivekananda had stayed for several months as a guest of Shri Shankar Pandurang.  There was also an exhibition of huge pictures depicting Swami Vivekananda and his teachings.  In the lobby before the room, there were pictures of the direct disciples and their disciples.  We went inside the room. There was a shrine on one side.  It was a thrilling experience to think that Swami Vivekananda had lived here.  We all sat quietly, recited pranam mantras softly and did japa, feeling the presence of Swami Vivekananda.

In the main Prayer Hall, Swami Atmadipananda had already started his lecture.  We all went to the main prayer hall and quietly sat down.  To our surprise we found that Swami Atmadipananda was giving his talk on Gita Chapter 12.  People realized the familiar shlokas and enjoyed his talk.  His talk ended at the “Adveshta Sarva Bhutanam….”  After the talk, Swami Atmadipananda (Yagnesh Maharaj) spoke from the podium and shared with everyone that a group from Vivekananda Vidyapith, USA had come to participate in the Vadodara International Youth Convention and visit places that Swami Vivekananda had himself been to.  To our pleasant surprise, he added that after arati they were going to sing.  Ananta Maharaj, from Rajkot, had informed him that this group sang good dhoons and bhajans.

We all joined in the arati.  Yagnesh Maharaj asked if any one played tabla.  Rishi came forward and played during the arati.  Afterwards, we all went in the front of the prayer hall near the shrine, and sang “Pranam Manras, Durgati Nashini, Tumi Brahma Ramakrishna, Gaurang Aradhang, and Paramhansa Ramakrishna.”  Again, we all felt that we were very fortunate to have an opportunity to sing for Thakur, Maa, and Swami Vivekananda.  During this singing one of our alumni wanted to record the singing on his phone. But, he was hesitant do so since Yagnesh Maharaj was sitting beside him. Then, he saw that Yagnesh Maharaj was himself taping it.  Then, he took out his phone and started taping the singing. Yagnesh Maharaj looked at him and smiled.

Afterward singing, he met all of us lovingly downstairs and talked to all.  He recognized meeting Sunita Aunty in Vadodara before.  He was apologetic that he could not make arrangements for dinner for such a large group.  We told him not to worry.  We had made an arrangement for dinner in a restaurant.  He invited us for breakfast.  But, we told him that breakfast was included in our hotels with the charges of rooms. After talking to Swamiji for some time under the star lit sky, we bid good-bye.

Again, we called several rickshaws to go to the dinner place.  In almost pitch darkness, we had to make sure that no one was left out and no one got lost.  It was a tough task. We counted people again and again.  The dinner place was famous in Porbandar.  We all sat in an air-conditioned room.  Vandana Aunty called at that time.  It was the right time to call. She also had called on several occasions, which were just as appropriate. She must have heard a chorus of hellos from the entire group. All felt that Aunty (Vandana Aunty) had been with us in spirit.  We had a delicious dinner and again filed into rickshaws and made our way to the hotels.

The next day, the Kaveri people had breakfast on the roof of the hotel from where one could see several parts of Porbandar and also the bay.  The Kuber people were also happy with their hotel.  After the bus picked up both groups, we went to the Ramakrishna Ashram again.  We did japa in Swami Vivekananda’s room and went to meet Yagnesh Maharaj in the “Value Education Building.”  We visited the ashram’s bookstore.  People bought books and tapes.

Now we wanted to visit the Sudama Mandir and Kirti Mandir (the birth place of Mahatma Gandhiji).

“The road to good is the roughest and steepest in the universe.  It is a wonder that so many succeed, no wonder that so many fall.  Character has to be established through a thousand stumbles.”  – Swami Vivekananda

Dwaraka, Sri Krishna’s Place & Nageshwar, Shiva’s Place

Rajkot to Dwarka was going to be a long drive and we wanted to reach there before 7:00 p.m. to attend the evening arati.  We had gotten up early in the morning. So, after a sumptuous lunch, many started to catch up on their sleep. But, the rest of the bus was fully awake–sharing jokes and interesting stories, while others enjoyed observing various things coming on the road.

The rain had stopped and the day was bright.  We were happy to see many windmills, which were generating natural electricity.  When we approached Dwarka, we saw the gorgeous Dwarikadhish Temple from a distance.  We were excited to visit the temple.  We arrived just on time because of our skillful driver and our planning.  Again, thanks to the organizers, the check-in of 54 people in the hotel was smooth and fast.  Everyone got ready within a short time and with a guide, we all headed to the famous Dwarakadish Temple.  Because of the rain, the roads were filled with mud and water.  It was a bit of an adventure. Students, who had come to India for the first time during the monsoon season, learned how to walk on such muddy streets.  They also learned how to go around cows and dogs.

As we approached the temple we start hearing joyful cries like “Dwarikadhish ki jai!” Our main concern was to remain together in the crowd.  Our guide and adults helped with this.  The guide explained the history and mythology behind the main temple and other small temples inside.  When the time came for arati, the guide told us to stand in the line for “darshan” of Dwarikadhish Sri Krishna.  We saw that some ladies had even stood on the railings to catch a glimpse of the deity.  The arati began. People raised their two hands and started chanting Sri Krishna’s names.  The environment was filled with devotion.  The procedure was that men and women, in separate lines, were to walk one by one, go near the deity, salute and move onward.  If you wanted to do “darshan” again, then you had to stand in line again.  Some people went two-three times to satisfy their desire to see Dwarikadhishji.  When Swami Vivekananda came here in 1891, he wrote that Shri Krishna’s image was beautiful, but the crowd would not let you stand in front of deity for long.  One had to look at the deity, then keep it in one’s heart, and close the doors of the eyes.

After all had “darshan,” our guide took us to Sri Adi Shankaracharya Pitham, which was next to the temple inside the campus.  The current Shankaracharyaji was not there.  The guide then took us to several small temples and told us the stories associated with them.  Fully satisfied with our visit, we proceeded back to our hotel. Upon arriving back at the hotel, we learned that since we missed our dinner reservation time, we had to wait for an hour before the hotel could accommodate 54 people.  So we all sat in the lobby waiting for food.  Trupti Aunty and a few students sang Shri Krishna’s dhoons and bhajans in the lobby.  After dinner, all wanted to sleep. We were about to retire to our rooms, when some of us heard that the bus had run into a mechanical problem. Our bus driver was trying to find a mechanic. We left it in the driver’s hands.

A few devotees decided to attend the mangala arati at 6:00 a.m.  They got up early, got ready, and enjoyed the early morning arati.  Their extra reward was that they had a group picture taken by a professional in front of this famous temple for a very reasonable price.  As we were finishing breakfast, we waited for news about the bus. We were worried about whether the bus would run.  Fortunately, Kalpitbhai and the driver had found a mechanic at night and fixed the problem. We were lucky and ready to go!

One good thing happened in the morning.  Sudhirbhai told us that they could see the ocean from their room windows.  We all ran to his room and found a spectacular view of ocean.  Then, we found that from the terrace we could get an even better view of the ocean and the temple.  The day was bright.  We all headed to the terrace where we enjoyed a beautiful view of the rough ocean and a clear view of the temple.  This fulfilled the desire of many people who wanted to see the ocean.

When we started to get into the bus, a smart vendor brought varieties of things to sell.  Several people were excited to shop because we did not have any shopping plans in our program.  This delayed our bus a little, but seeing the joy of people shopping, others did not mind.

We started to go to Nageshwara.  There is a controversy about this temple that whether it is one of the Dwadash Jyotirlingas (12 famous Shivalingam).  We heard that Gulshan had taken interest and helped in the development of this temple.  So far, we had been thinking of Shri Krishna, now we started thinking of Shiva.  In the bus, Nilesh sang and led “Nagendra Haraya…”  Some students, who did not know Nilesh, were surprised to see that he could sing so well.  All enjoyed the hymn and the dhoon “Namah Shivay…”  Nageshwara was only 15 kilometers away from Dwarka.  When the bus stopped, all were amazed to see a huge statue of Shiva.  It created a divine mood in the minds of all.  The entrance to the temple, the clean ground inside, a huge banyan tree, and the temple structure created a very good impression in the minds of all.  We entered the temple and found that it was clean and there was an orderly way to go to the shrine.  We all saluted and felt like singing the salutation mantra, “Om Namah Shivay Shnatay…”  Then all were inspired to sing Shiva’s dhoons and bhajans, especially led by Trupti Aunty.  Her melodious voice captured the minds of all.  There were many singers in the group, so we had a special Shiva’s celebration for about 45 minutes.  We wish we had taped the singing.  It was in tune, filled with devotion and sweet in melody.

All ladies decided to do Shiva puja.  Men were required to wear dhoti for the puja, so they were not very enthusiastic.  The priest informed us that only family members could go together, but Trupti Aunty said that this was one family, our Vidyapith family.  Somehow they agreed to let most of the ladies & girls go for puja.  They all did joint puja of Shiva while singing “Om Namah Shivay..” and “Hara Hara Bhole, Namah Shivay…”  I have no doubt that Shiva must have been greatly pleased.  Actually, Shiva had arranged this whole thing.  After being pleased with the singing and puja, we all came outside and took a group picture under the huge banyan tree.  The whole environment was peaceful, serene, and joyful.

We were getting little late in our schedule and started walking towards the bus. But how could we miss a group picture under the huge statute of Shiva? Again we quickly assembled to take another photo and filed into the bus. Kalpitbhai had told us that nearby, there was a hill on which there were beautiful statues of Shiva and his family.  As we passed by them, we saluted from the bus and continued on our journey.  Our next stop was Porbandar.

“India’s gift to the world is the spiritual light…Slow and silent, as the gentle dew that falls in the morning, unseen and unheard yet producing a most tremendous result.”  – Swami Vivekananda

Shri Ramakrishna Ashram at Rajkot

From Limbdi we headed to Rajkot.  It was raining in Limbdi when we were getting into the bus.  Later the rain became even heavier.  But, inside the bus we were all remembering the experience of the presence of Swami Vivekananda in the Durbar Hall and love of Swami Adibhavanandaji.

We said our “five jai’s” and continued on our way.  Since it was evening, all did prayer together.  As we joined in prayer, we appreciated that having all Vidyapith people together on this journey made it a unique experience. It gave us all a special joy.

Heavy rain, roads filled with pot-holes, and driving in the dark on Indian highways created some concern.  We saw many trucks with no reflectors or red lights in the back. Some did not even have headlights. Drivers seemed to have their own driving logic—logic of a high-risk nature.  Our only solace was based on three people: (1) our escort Kalpitbhai, a family friend, who was always in the front with a small van keeping an eye on everything related to transportation. (2) A known, reliable, calm, and skillful bus driver Rafik, who had in his mind the complete dimension of the bus and was fully aware of the whole traffic situation.  He was also fixing the bus whenever we ran into mechanical problems.  (3) Ketan, a helper of the bus driver who was driving away cows, buffaloes, and sheep from the front of the bus, helpful in making U-turns or reversing the bus, and helpful in giving food to the driver and giving him company. Those who were in the front were a little worried during overtakes when there were about two inches of distance between fast driving vehicles and our bus.

We reached Rajkot around 8:30 p.m., after dark, much later than expected.  Anant Maharaj, (Swami Sarvasthananda) head of Rajkot Ashram, had been informed by phone about our estimated time of arrival.  With little difficulty the huge 56-seater bus was pulled in the ashram.  Swamiji was waiting for us.  He asked us to go straight into the shrine before they closed it.  With the help of umbrellas and ponchos we protected ourselves and went to the shrine.  It was a beautiful shrine.  We all quietly saluted Thakur, Maa, and Swamiji, sat down and did some japa.  Then, we went to Anant Maharaj to meet him.  He received all of us and asked about our plans.  He told us to come tomorrow before 8:00 a.m. since buses were not allowed into the city after 8:00 a.m.

We had a dinner invitation by Mr. Virani.  He and his wife were also waiting for our arrival.  They took us to a very special Rajasthani Restaurant.  Even in the drizzle, a drummer, dressed up in Rajashtani outfit, started playing the drum.  A small girl in a beautiful dress welcomed each of us with a tilak of kumkum.  Inside there was a huge ground with pillars, statues, plants, and flowers.  We entered into a huge, palace-like building.  There was a huge room with sofas all around where two musicians were waiting for us. While playing the harmonium, one started singing a Rajasthani song in a melodious voice.  He was accompanied by a person on dholak.  We all enjoyed their songs. It was late and all were hungry.  We went to a nicely decorated dining room and had delicious dinner.  We were told that there were dancers waiting to entertain us upstairs.  But, we apologized to them and said that we had a long day and we were exhausted.  We wanted to check in our hotel and take some rest.  We checked in the hotel “The Fern.”  It was a very nice hotel and some were amazed to see cricket bats with signatures of famous players.  We were a large group of 54 people, but because of some pre-planning, the check-in was very smooth and we soon retired to our rooms.

The next day all got up early, had breakfast, and got into the bus.  We had to get into the city before 8:00 a.m.  We made it on time.  Again, we all went to the shrine, quietly sat down, and did japa.  After some time, when we started coming out, we found Anant Maharaj waiting to greet us near the entrance.  He said, “I have heard that you sing good dhoons and bhajans.  Would you like to sing by the shrine?  It will be a good memory for all of you.”  We were pleasantly surprised by this.  I asked him how he found out that we sing dhoon-bhajans.  He said that Prafulbhai, uncle of Shyam Gohel (Meera Gohel Aunty’s husband Rajen Gohel’s brother) had told him.  Prafulbhai was joyfully standing by Swamiji’s side.  We were thrilled by this idea of singing by the shrine.  Swamiji asked us to wait a few minutes while some preparations were made for our singing.  Meanwhile, I lovingly and joyfully gave a hug to Prafulbhai.

Prafulbhai told me that he regularly comes to the ashrama to do prayer. That day when he came, he saw stickers of “Vivekananda Vidyapith” on all of you.  He was so excited that he could not do prayer anymore. He went out and met Anant Maharaj and told him that these people are from Vivekananda Vidyapith.  They sing very good dhoons and bhajans and I have listened to their tapes for over the last several years.

Reflecting upon the all of this later, I told everyone that in a billiard-ball game, a player hits one ball, then that ball hits another one and so on and at the end the desired ball goes into the hole.  When Nisha’s uncle Nimishbhai made stickers for all of us, he had no idea of this divine opportunity.

In the Prayer Hall two huge carpets were spread. On one carpet there was a harmonium and a pair of tabla. We sat down and sang Pranam Mantras, Sri Ramakrishna Suprabhatam, Tumi Brahma Ramakrishna, Jaya Sri Sarade, and Jaya Vireshwar. The singing was perfectly tuned, melodious, and filled with devotion. Swamiji had taped our singing.  He was very much pleased with our singing.  We felt as though Thakur wanted to listen to our singing.  Indeed Swamiji was right – a life-long memory had been created.

Swamiji then took us to his office and told us about the Rajkot ashram, its “Value Education Program,” and its future building. He also gave us books. He talked about all the recently released DVDs about Swami Vivekananda and an upcoming movie on Swami Vivekananda. After that he showed us the original temple and the bookstore.  It was an attractive bookstore.  All were crazy to buy books, tapes, bags, and other things.  Meanwhile a few people visited the “Sister Nivedita School” and other services run by Mr. Gulabbhai Jani and his wife.

Swami Sarvasthanandaji had offered us lunch.  Plates were set on the dining tables for all 54 people.  Swamiji himself was waiting to make sure we ate well.  All were fed sumptuously.  After lunch it was time for us to go.  All saluted Swamiji and got into the bus.  At the end Prafulbhai and his wife Chitraben handed me a bag filled with tasty “Khakhara” and famous sweet “Rajkot Pendas.”

It was a challenging task to get the huge bus out of the gate and make a U-turn in the busy street.  Swamiji himself stood out to make sure we were okay.  With the bus driver’s amazing skill and his assistant’s help, the bus was maneuvered successfully.  As we pulled out, we waved our hands to say “bye” to Swamiji.

Out next destination was Dwaraka.

We can be statues too!

Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Memorial at Limbdi

From Sabarmati Ashram we went for lunch at the “Silver Cloud” restaurant. Trupti Aunty and Nayana Aunty had worked hard to find good restaurants in all the cities we were to visit on the trip. They had called the managers and fixed the menus and times for all of our meals – breakfasts, lunches and dinners. So in a nice air-conditioned room we all enjoyed a delicious lunch.

We then headed to Ramakrishna Mission at Limbdi. Rain started. The roads had lots of potholes due to heavy rain over the few weeks before we arrived. The bus was sometimes traveling at 5-km/hour and going over bumps. At each bump, all the boys seated in the last row would jump up and down, and the laughter with each jump only grew louder and louder.

As we were traveling, Swami Adibhavananda of the Limbdi Ashram was eagerly waiting for us and even inquired through phone calls about when we would be reaching there. Finally, we arrived at Limbdi. Swami Adibhavanandaji, whom people lovingly call “Bapa”, sent a young boy on motorcycle to escort us. The boy asked me to get on his motorcycle and I had a chance to ride it. Swami Adibhavanandaji asked us to go to the palace first. On the way, you could see Swami Vivekananda’s statue prominently in the city center with “Arise! Awake!…” written in Gujarati. We then saw the palace. In this small Limbdi town, the palace stands out as a gorgeous structure. It was in this palace that Swami Vivekananda stayed for several days. Swamiji had held spiritual discussions in the “Durbar Hall,” an assembly hall of the palace.

We all climbed several steps to go to the Durbar Hall. While going up we saw an excellent exhibition of Swami Vivekananda’s pictures. One painting of Swami Vivekananda with the Maharaja seemed like it had just been painted. It was amazing to see that the colors had still remained intact over all these years.

It was Maharaja Thakur Saheb of Limbdi Shri Yashwantsinhji who had hosted Swami Vivekananda. He was a very learned and cultured king. He had visited England and America and he advised Swami Vivekananda to go to the west to teach Sanatan Dharma.

Upstairs, there was a beautiful shrine in the Durbar hall. The experience was sitting in the hall was thrilling. Imagine! Swami Vivekananda held spiritual discussions in this very room. The atmosphere was serene and pleasant. We all sat down in awe and offered our salutations to Thakur, Maa and Swamiji. We sang the bhajan “Jaya Vireshwar” and quietly did japa. The melodious singing of Pranam Mantras in perfect tune and filled with devotion, created a very inspiring atmosphere. All forgot their tiredness.

A Brahmachari led us to the Limbdi Ashram where Swami Adibhavanandaji was waiting for us. He had asked devotees to prepare 54 plates filled with a banana, a sweet, and fresh dates. We all enjoyed this loving hospitality. Swami Adibhavanandaji made sure that we enjoyed the snack. A few devotees were serving all of us with love.

It had started to rain again, and the huge bus could not come to the door. Swami was concerned about us getting wet so he asked couple of people to give us rides in the ashram’s cars. The rest of us walked through the muddy road with umbrellas and ponchos. We finally got into our bus and started on our journey to Rajkot. Despite the inconveniences, all were very happy and felt that they were lucky to be in the room in which Swami Vivekananda had stayed.

One student had a stomach problem, but luckily we had four physicians with us. They were ready with all needed medicines, and they immediately took care of him.

One thing I forgot to mention was that every morning on the bus, we started our journey with saying “Jai,” and then singing “Sri Ramakrishna Suprabhatam” with students and myself leading over the bus’s megaphone. Afterwards, whenever we had the chance, we recited Shanti Mantras, sang dhoons, bhajans and Gita Chapters 12 and 15. With all of the singing, we did not feel the tiredness of the long bus rides. Also, we had delicious snacks, which were brought to us by Jaymeen Uncle, Trupti Aunty, Nayana Aunty, and Apexa Aunty. Thus we filled our stomachs and minds with satisfaction and joy.