The Bhagwan Naama Prachara Mandali from Chennai, Tamil Nadu held several days of beautiful devotional and musical program, entitled the Kalyan Mahostav, at Parmarth Ganga Ghat recently. Revered saints, priests and hundreds of devotees offered their deep regards to Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji and the beautiful, humanitarian service projects flourishing under His leadership and vision as well as offered their respects to Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswatiji for her devotion, dedication and ceaseless service.
While addressing the devotees and pilgrims, Pujya Swamiji shared, “The time has come for Sangkirtan and Swachhta to work hand in hand. Along with chanting the name of the Lord, we must also simultaneously serve His creation. We must not only ensure that our places of worship are clean and green, as they are direct reflections of the Divine, but we must also ensure that we raise awareness on the crucial need to keep our river’s free from open defecation and the importance of building and using a toilet.”
Sadhvi Bhagawatiji shared, “Every day in the morning prayer at Parmarth, we sing ‘Mukh Mai Ho Ram Naam, Ram Seva Hath Mai…’, which reminds us that not only should we sing the name and the glories of the Lord but we must do the work of the Lord. Our scriptures tell us that we are not only made by God but we are actually made OF God. Hence, God’s creation is not ever separate from God. So, when 1200 children have to perish daily due to lack of adequate WASH and millions of women have to wait for the darkness of night to answer nature’s call, simply because they lack access to sanitation facilities, our faith must come into action to also provide and serve the Divine and the Divine’s creation to ensure the provision of safe and sufficient sanitation for all.”
Inspired by Pujya Swamiji and Sadhvi Bhagawatiji’s words, several youngsters, pilgrims and devotees came forward to pledge that the first thing they will do when they go back from their beautiful spiritual yatra to the banks of Mother Ganga is build a toilet in a nearby village where it is needed. Everyone also pledged with Pujya Swamiji and Sadhviji to keep coming back to their Himalayan home and take the mission of keeping their communities, villages and homes Swachh and Swaasth when they return back to Chennai.
