• At 4.17 pm the solar eclipse commenced. During the assembly, Viveksagar Swami spoke on the significance of eclipses. Finally in his blessings Swamishri said, “There are three types of miseries: adhyatma, adhibhut and adhidev. Whenever one faces miseries one should always pray and chant the name of God. God dissolves all our worries and pains.” The solar eclipse concluded at 5.35 pm.
• In the evening the secretary of Jaipur Development Authority Shri Himatasinh, Additonal Advocate General of Rajasthan Shri Bharatbhai Vyas and minister of PWD Shri Rajendrasinh Rathod met Swamishri and received his blessings.
• ? In the afternoon 275 women devotees took out a kalash yatra procession carrying auspicious pots in the mandir neighbourhood.
  ? In the evening an assembly was arranged to felicitate devotees who had rendered their services for the shikharbaddh mandir. Swamishri first presented a shawl to Jaisukhbhai Jhala for handling the construction work and thereafter blessed the prominent devotees. Finally, blessing the devotees and 700 BAPS volunteers, Swamishri said, “It is a matter of great happiness that a lot of people have come from Gujarat and other areas to seek the spiritual benefit of this festival. To get such opportunities to offer seva in functions like these turn out to be of immense spiritual advantage. It is service to God and if God is pleased, you are blessed. You will attain God’s abode and become happy. When you work for others it is for the sake of your body, whereas this service to God is for the benefit of your soul. With such service you attain the bliss of God’s Akshardham. You will have great peace. When God is pleased, your birth becomes worthwhile.”

• o The day marked the ceremonial entry into the mandir. By 6 am the Vedic rituals were completed. The golden kalashes and flagstaff were installed after Swamishri performed its puja. Along with this, a yagna for world peace was being conducted in the nearby Pratap Stadium. In the yagna mandap there were 78 sacrificial pits, where 844 devotees were participating. On the main platform with Swamishri were the chief sponsors and senior sadhus. Among the participants in the yagna were 240 sculptors from Makrana and 61 tribal devotees from Sagvada and Dungarpur. The chief guests on the occasion were the former chief minister of Rajasthan and the present general secretary of Congress, Ashok Ghelot, a former minister and satsangi, Madhavsinhji Diwan, and the leader of the opposition in the Vidhan Sabha, B.D. Kalla. On the platform were the murtis of Akshar Purushottam Maharaj, Ghanshyam Maharaj, Harikrishna Maharaj, Radha-Govind Dev, Sita-Ram, Shiv-Parvati, Hanumanji and Ganapati. The murti of Neelkanth Varni for the Abhishek Mandapam at Delhi Akshardham was placed beside the murtis to be installed at Kherva village. The chief Brahmins at the function were Ghanshyambhai Shukla, Bharatbhai, Mukeshbhai and others. After the rituals were completed, Pramukh Swami Maharaj bathed the small murti of Harikrishna Maharaj with panchamrut. After the rituals, Ashok Ghelot garlanded Swamishri and sought his blessings. Expressing his sentiments during the yagna he said, “Today the yagna has begun for world peace. I welcome Pramukh Swami Maharaj to Jaipur. He teaches the message of love and brotherhood for world peace. In London, he has built a wonderful mandir. He has built a similar one in Jaipur. His message is relevant and useful to the entire world. I extend a warm welcome to him on behalf of the entire country and the people of this region and I request him that he should come here often and inspire us all.”

  Other guests like B.D. Kalla and Madhavsinh Diwan offered garlands to Swamishri and received his blessings. Mahant Swami presented them with mementoes. Then Swamishri blessed the assembly, “The Mahavishnu Yagna is being conducted on the occasion of the murti-pratishtha in Jaipur. Our Vedic sentiments are very lofty since they express peace for everyone. If we please God, everything will be all right. Those who witness such a yagna will experience peace. Jaipur city, Rajasthan, the country and the entire world will similarly be blessed with peace.”

After Swamishri’s arrival at 8.40 am, senior sadhus joined Swamishri in the consecration rituals for the various deities.

Prominent devotees from India and abroad and members of Jaipur Satsang Mandal were seated underneath the mandir domes.

Swamishri began the ritual for invoking the Divine into the murtis. He stood on the steps of the throne and invited Shriji Maharaj to enter the murti. He ceremoniously opened the eyes and entreated Him to cast a benevolent first glance on the entire creation by showing the mirror. After the eye-opening rituals, Swamishri performed pujan of each murti. He consecrated the murti of Neelkanth Varni to be installed in the Abhishekh Mandap of Delhi Akshardham. After performing the life-infusion ceremony of the murtis Swamishri returned to his seat in the Koli Mandap.

The Additional Advocate General of Rajasthan, Bharatbhai Vyas, came for Swamiji’s darshan. He had helped in the construction of the mandir in many ways. Swamishri tied a sacred thread to his wrist and applied tilak-chandlo on his forehead. Swamishri then performed the murti-pratishtha arti of Thakorji.

After the consecration rituals, Swamishri presided over the murti-pratishtha assembly at Pratap Stadium.

Senior sadhus and guests were on the dais. On the right were the Education Minister Ghanshyambhai Tiwari, Home Minister Gulabchand Kataria, Maharaja Bhawanisingh, PWD Minister Rajendrasinh Rathod, Home Secretary V.S. Singh, and Additional Advocate General Bharat Vyas. Among others were Commissioner Savant Saheb, Jaipur Development Authority Commissioner Hanumantsinh and also MLAs of the area.

The Home Minister Gulabchand Kataria said in his speech, “We are grateful to Pramukh Swami Maharaj for installing the pillar of dharma in this place. It will enable us to live our lives with a purpose and feeling of fulfilment. I thank Swamishri on behalf of the Udaipur region.”

Then the PWD minister Rajendrasinh Rathod said, “It is a matter of pride for us that God’s house has been built here, by whose grace we exist. For ages to come, this mandir will remind us of God.” The Education Minister Ghanshyambhai Tiwari in his scholarly speech said, “Today, two things have occurred here. First, the installation of the murtis has taken place and, second, we have the presence of Pramukh Swami Maharaj. We only hear of God’s lila, but we do not see it. When God is present we wish to see the lila. Kings, leaders or pandits are not the true representatives of this country. But sadhus like these are the true representatives and backbone of this country. Because of them our culture has survived. From Satyug to Kaliyug these sadhus have kept the chariot of our culture moving. Pramukh Swami Maharaj has done a lot for sustaining our culture and tradition. Swamishri is a distinguished leader who blesses others with divinity. It is our good fortune that his feet have touched this part of the earth. Because of this mandir the spiritual energy will increase.”

V.S. Singh, Home Secretary, spoke of the miracle that brought the mandir into being. He said, “It is beyond belief that such a work has been done in such a short time. When the matter was put up before me, it appeared to be a dream to me. When this matter was again brought before me two-and-a-half years ago, then I realized that it was not a dream but a gift to Jaipur of a social and peaceful culture.”
Additional Advocate General Bharat Vyas said, “In Swamishri I recognize a great leader of the country. After Adi Shankaracharya, I see the glory of Chaitanyadev in him. The nation can progress only with his grace.” In the end, Swamishri blessed the assembly, “Through God we experience happiness and peace. That is why we have to protect this wealth (dharma) and increase it. Our glory is because of this wealth. To the extent it grows there will be peace. Though Western culture is here, we have to spread our own tradition and protect it. Our shastras, Shikshapatri and Vachanamrut, are our true wealth. The mandir is our wealth. There is a great need for mandirs. We acquire samskars by going to mandirs. May we acquire faith to walk on the spiritual path. May the prosperity of the city increase. Let there be peace in Rajasthan and the entire country. May all sincerely practise dharma.”
More than 7000 devotees attended the murti-pratishtha celebrations. Various devotees had made garlands to mark the occasion. Senior sadhus presented these to Swamishri.
In the end the members of Jaipur Satsang Mandal as well as those of Rajasthan presented garlands to Swamishri before the ceremony concluded.
At 11.45 am the Abhijit Nakshatra was in the ascendant. It was necessary to perform the murti-pratishtha arti in the Abhijit Nakshatra. For that Swamishri once again entered the mandir for arti. All ministers and guests also accompanied him. Swamishri performed the pratishtha arti of the deities.
 

• Today the murtis of guru parampara and Radha-Krishna dev, Sita-Ram dev, etc. were to be established on the pedestal in Akshardham monument. The preliminary rituals began in the presence of Mahant Swami, Dr Swami and Kothari Swami. Swamishri arrived earlier than scheduled. Amidst Vedic chantings Swamishri placed the Yantra, Kurma and Anant devas inside the base on which the murtis would rest. Thereafter Swamishri, senior sadhus and devotees performed arti and mantra pushpanjali. Then Swamishri went to place the Yantra in the base of the Sanatan devas. After placing the Yantra and Anant in the base where Sita-Ram dev were to be installed, Swamishri was about to place the Kurma dev when an earthquake shook the monument. It was 9.27 am. Immediately Swamishri was led outside and all the sadhus and devotees gathered outside by the steps of Akshardham. The epicenter of the 7.6 Richter scale earthquake was near Islamabad in Pakistan. Thereafter Swamishri chanted the Swaminarayan dhun for things to return to normal. After the dhun Swamishri said, “By the grace of Bhagwan Swaminarayan everything has become quiet and calm. Any obstacle that is destined for the future has come in a little way today. Now it has quietened down. Shesh Narayan has been installed. Now, all obstacles have gone. What was to come later has come before. A greater calamity has been resolved into a minor disturbance. Now, no more problems will arise and everything will turn out well.”
• At 6.00 pm Swamishri inaugurated the large format film theater called Neelkanth Darshan. Thereafter Swamishri and the sadhus saw the film on Neelkanth Varni.
   

• At 12.00 noon Shri Vamdeva Shastri (David Frawley), a scholar in Hinduism, met Swamishri. He had written a 175 page book on Hinduism for the BAPS Sanstha. He said, “There is no spiritual element in Delhi. The creation of Akshardham here will change the atmosphere in Delhi. It will transform the minds of people. The complex will create a tremendous atmosphere in Delhi and it will bridge the past with the future. Through this complex there will be the realization of pride for India among young children. This place will become a seat of knowledge and study for all.”
• At 10.00 am the Vice CEO of Hewlett Packard, Shri Vyomesh Joshi, Financial Controller John and Industrial Psychologist Frank met Swamishri. Frank said, “I am incredibly impressed in many, many different ways. And one of the things is to hear that the whole development was made in five years and the major part in two years, all by volunteers. I look around and I see everybody happy.
  Vyomesh Joshi, Vice CEO, said, “I am really impressed with what I saw, not only the dedication and the work 11,000 volunteers have done, but when you walk in you are just awed by the whole complex. The details in making Akshardham are amazing. When you go in and see all the ceilings and carvings that have been done and then I think you see dedication and the love and I was just absolutely awed. ”
   

At 10.00 am Swamishri arrived at the Abhishek Mandapam and performed the rituals in installing the murti of Neelkanth Varni. Thereafter Swamishri bathed the murti with panchamrut and prayed that Neelkanth Varni fulfills the wishes of everyone.
Tadagotsarg Ritual: After the ritual installation of the murti of Neelkanth Varni Swamishri engaged himself in the sanctification rituals of the water of Narayan Sarovar. Waters from 151 rivers, lakes and kunds sanctified by Bhagwan Swaminarayan in India were ritually poured by Swamishri and sadhus into Narayan Sarovar. The names of rivers, lakes and ponds are as follows:
Unmattganga-Ghela (Gadhada), Und river (Bhadra), Malan river (Mahuva), Kanji well and lake (Mahelav), Shetrunji-Yogidhar (Dhari), Radhavav (Gadhada), Lakshmivadi (Gadhada), Sahasradharo (Gadhada), Gangajalio well (Gadhada), Narayan Laheri well (Gadhada), Bhaktibag (Gadhada), Narayan dharo (Sarangpur), water of Hamir lake (Bhuj), water of Mokshkup (Kariyani), Utavali-Dhola river (Sarangpur), well on the lower part at the old mandir (Gadhada), Manekchowk well (Gadhada), Pipavav (Rajula), Varah svarup (Rajula), Dhatarvadi river (Hindorana), Udhmatiya river (Rampara-Rajula), Kovaiya well (Varah svarup), well at Nagpalvaru’s residence(Rajula), water of pond (Ranjitgadh), Bhamariyo well (Mansar), Alarkvav (Muli), water of Samantsar pond (Nava Devaliya), Pranchino Kund (Pranchi), water of Vav (Lodhva), water of suryakund (Vanthli), Damodar kund (Junagadh), Ozat river (Piplana), Khengar Vav (on the way to Vanthli), water of well (Methan), Paramhans Dikshvadi (Kalvani), Gopi pond (Mangrol), the stepwell where Maharaj used to bathe after Yog (Loj), stepwell of mandir (Mangrol), Jogasar pond (Dhrangradhra), Gitamandir where ShriKrishna left for his abode (Somnath), well at Pravatbhai’s farm (Agatarai), Triveni Sangam - confluence of three rivers (Somnath), well at mandir (Manavadar), stepwell of Loj (Loj), Bhamariyo Aro (Panchala), Sambali river (Panchala), Bhogavo river (Vadhwan), water of pond (Methan), water of kund (Guptprayag), water of pond (Pindaliya), Bhogavo river (Memaka), Dodiya pond (Methan), Chandrapushkanrini (Shrirangam), Tavi pond (Devaliya), water of pond (Moti Adaraj), water of pond (Sharmishtha), water of pond (Kanthariya), Seawater (Rameshvar), Navi Peri Talavadi (Sarvai), water of artificial pond (Kariyani), Vasan river-Narayan dharo (Acharda), water of pond (Shiyani), Seawater (Kanyakumari), water of pond (Karjisan), water of pond (Malav), water of pond (Bhalgamada), Dungar Talavadi (Limbdi), Kaveri river (Shrirangam), Todali Vav (Una), Keri river (Ningala), water of well (Jhinjhavadar), water of Narmada (Bharuch), Gomti pond (Vadtal), Gnanbag (Vadtal), Saryu river (Ayodhya-Muhadi), Min lake (Chhapaiya), well at the birthplace (Chhapaiya), Narayan lake (Chhapaiya), Bhutioyo and Bahariyo well (Chhapaiya), Khanpa Talavadi (Chhapaiya), Narayan lake (Kutch), Pushkar lake (Rajasthan), Pampa lake (Hospet), water of Bindu lake, Man lake, Purnakumbh-Kshipra river (Ranghat-Ujjain), Indradhyumna lake (Jagannathpuri), water of Sarasvati river, Manikarnika Ghat (Kashi), Kodki Ganga (Kutch), Sadhurai pond Mankuva (Kutch), Vicheshvar pond Mankuva (Kutch), Vekra Gangaji (Rampar-Kutch), Makhodaghat (Chhapaiya), Ramkund (Nasik), Prayag Triveni sangam-confluence of river Gang-Yamun-Sarasvati, Seawater (Mandvi-Kutch), Mochirai (Sukhpar-Kutch), Pipaliya pond (Pipaliya), Godavari, Kapilanu sangam, Jinjar river (Jinjar), stepwell of Adalaj (Adalaj), Hari lake (Dahisara-Kutch), Vingadiya pond (Kutch), pond (Dabhan), Falgu river (Chhapaiya), sanctified well (Nasik), confluence of Tapi-Mona (Burhanpur), Baladiya (Kutch), water of Mithi Virdi (Mandvi-Kutch), Yamunaji (Vishramghat-Mathura), sanctified well (Ayodhya), origin of Godavari (Trambakeshvar Mahadev), Koteshvar (Kutch), Ramkund (Kutch-Bhuj), water of Tipansar pond (Mandvi-Kutch), Gayghat (Kashi), confluence of Narmada-Sarasvati (Siddhpur), Gangaghat (Soraji), Saryu river (Muhadi), water of river (Kerala), Sindhu river (Sindh), water of river (Trivendram), Sabarmati (Amdavad), Vishnukanchi lake (Vishnukanchi), pond (Kharad), Damodar Kund (Junagadh), Brahma Kund (Junagadh), Shivkanchi lake (Shivkanchi), Krishna river (Vijayvada), Godavari river (Pandharpur), Chandrapushkarini river (Tirupati), Dhamadaka Gangaji (Dudhai), Bhatiya pond (Bhachau), Chirai pond (Kutch), water from Virda (Dhunai), Pundi Vav (Mandvi-Kutch), pond in Bochasan (Bochasan), Jaliyo dharo (Khambhda), Galtaji Kund (Galtaji-Jaipur), pond Kamiyala (Kamiyala), pond (Rojka), pond (Otariya), pond (Vadadala), Falgu river (Sarangpur), Mahisagar (Vasad), Gomti pond (Dakor), Vatrak river (Kheda), pond in Goriyad (Goriyad).

In conclusion Swamishri blessed the occasion, “We believe that water is a god – Jaldev. Now Narayan Sarovar has been sanctified by all devas. We have done pujan of all the devas. There are four main holy lakes in India, namely, Man Sarovar, Pushkar Sarovar near Ajmer, Pampa Sarovar in the south and Narayan Sarovar in the west in Kutch. Maharaj has visited all these places and sanctified them.
Here, the water of all pilgrim places and rivers have been poured. If anyone wishes to go on a pilgrimage then by coming here one gets the darshan of God, darshan of Akshardham and all the murtis of the devas. Whoever does darshan, sprinkles water on his head and bathes in its water will be liberated.”
At 7.00 pm a special assembly for 6,600 male volunteers and 1400 female volunteers was held in the marquee at Pramukh Swami Nagar. Swamishri blessed the volunteers with words of inspiration and glory for the services they had been blessed with.