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                  16 
                    May 2006 (V.S. 2062, Vaishakh vad 3) Tuesday, Gondal, BhavnagarAt 7.00 pm a 
                    welcome assembly and volunteers’ assembly was held. 
                    Swamishri was honoured by the Mayor of Bhavnagar Shri Mehulbhai 
                    Vadodaria, Deputy Mayor Shri Jashvantsinh and Standing Committee 
                    Chairman Shri Tulsibhai. In conclusion Swamishri blessed the 
                    assembly, “I congratulate all the devotees for serving 
                    in the mandir project by disregarding all physical difficulties 
                    and discomforts. The summer heat is scorching but still you 
                    have served to please Shriji Maharaj, Gunatitanand Swami. 
                    The sadhus too have served immensely in the mandir project. 
                    You have engaged yourself in this project and attained a Ph.d. 
                    You have attained the Ph.d. because you have offered your 
                    services with the sole motive of pleasing God. You did not 
                    desire for material happiness, wealth or status but to please 
                    Maharaj, Yogiji Maharaj”
 
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                 17 May 
                  2006 (V.S. 2062, Vaishakh vad 4) Wednesday, Bhavnagar; Prasad 
                  Pravesh 
                  
                     
                       The BAPS 
                        Swaminarayan Mandir has been built of pink stone from 
                        Rajasthan in the Nagradi style. It is 80 ft high, 169 
                        ft long and 128 ft wide. The mandir has five shikhars, 
                        one main dome, five small and six large domes; 136 ornate 
                        arches (torans), 136 carved pillars, 20 gavakshs, 21 jharukhas, 
                        61 murtis on the mandir pillars, 40 murtis in the mandovar, 
                        24 murtis inside the ghummats. 
                      From 8.00 
                        am the prasad pravesh rituals, prior to the pratishtha 
                        day, were held in the presence of senior sadhus. Swamishri 
                        came and performed the pujan of kalashes and dhaja-dand 
                        and the concluding rituals of prasad pravesh.At 7.00 pm Swamishri saw a drama presentation of how Satsang 
                        has developed in Bhavnagar. The drama included the stories 
                        of Brahmanand Swami’s transformation, Sagram Vaghri 
                        of Limli, Atmaram Darji, Bhakta Kuberbhai who begged for 
                        alms with Shastriji Maharaj, and incidents on how Yogiji 
                        Maharaj and Pramukh Swami Maharaj had developed the Satsang. 
                        The drama concluded at 8.20 pm.
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                  19 
                    May 2006 (V.S. 2062, Vaishakh vad 7) Friday, Bhavnagar; Murti-pratishtha 
                    Festival 
                     
                      The mandir 
                        building project commenced with the foundation-stone laying 
                        ceremony performed by Swamishri on 15 January 2002. The 
                        mandir was completed through tremendous voluntary efforts 
                        by the devotees of Bhavnagar and thousands more had performed 
                        austerities and devotional worship and rituals for its 
                        successful completion. 
                      Swamishri 
                        performed the murti-pratishtha rituals of Shri Akshar 
                        Purushottam Maharaj and the senior sadhus performed the 
                        rituals of the remaining murtis. After the rituals were 
                        over Swamishri also performed the first pujan of all the 
                        murtis. Thereafter annakut was displayed before the deities 
                        and Swamishri and senior sadhus performed the pratishtha 
                        arti. The pratishtha rituals concluded at 9.30 am. 
                      At 10.30 
                        am Swamishri was welcomed to the pratishtha assembly amidst 
                        thundering applause. Several dignitaries were honoured 
                        on stage, namely, Minister for Urban Development, Roads 
                        and Buildings Shri I.K. Jadeja, Minister for Energy Shri 
                        Saurabhbhai Patel, Mayor of Bhavnagar Shri Mehulbhai Vadodaria, 
                        MLAs Shri Sunilbhai Oza, Mahendrabhai Trivedi, leading 
                        Congress member Shri Shaktisinh Gohil and many others. 
                        After the addresses by senior sadhus and dignitaries Swamishri 
                        inaugurated three pictorial publications by Swaminarayan 
                        Aksharpith: Ramayan and Mahabharat (Hindi) and Brahmaswarup 
                        Shastriji Maharaj (English).Swamishri was then honoured with garlands by the senior 
                        sadhus. The youths of Bhavnagar performed a traditional 
                        dance celebrating the mandir inauguration. Finally, Swamishri 
                        blessed the assembly, “Our culture since time immemorial 
                        has been sustained by the Vedas and mandirs. Through mandirs 
                        one is inspired with character and values. Through one’s 
                        association with mandirs and a bonafide Sadhu one’s 
                        senses revert within. Bhagwan Swaminarayan came on earth 
                        to inspire character, values and to grant moksha to people. 
                        He has given a beautiful code of ethics in the Shikshapatri. 
                        It prescribes injunctions for the happiness of mankind. 
                        He has given two great things in it ‘Dharmo gneyah 
                        sadE3chE3rah’ (righteous living). If one lives righteously 
                        then there will be no hatred for others. You follow the 
                        faith you believe in by obeying the moral codes written 
                        in your scriptures, but do not villify other faiths. And 
                        the second thing is to live an addiction-free life.”
 
                  More than 31,000 
                    devotees attended the pratishtha festival and partook of the 
                    mahaprasad.
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                  24 
                    May 2006 (V.S. 2062, Vaishakh vad 12) Wednesday, Bhavnagar; 
                    114 Birthday Celebration of Yogiji MaharajIn the evening the assembly celebrating Yogiji Maharaj’s 
                    114th birthday was addressed by different sadhus lauding the 
                    virtues of Yogiji Maharaj on the theme “Vani amrutthi 
                    bhari madhu sami...” Thereafter Viveksagar Swami addressed 
                    the assembly. After a traditional dance by BAPS children and 
                    youths Swamishri blessed the devotees, “Yogiji Maharaj 
                    had countless virtues. Whatever has been written in the shastras 
                    about saintliness, one finds them in the life of Yogiji Maharaj. 
                    There was no maya or mundaneness in him. He saw only God in 
                    all. We talk about the Gunatit state, but we could see it 
                    entirely in Yogiji Maharaj. He never thought or desired for 
                    glory, greatness, fame or to look nice before others. He was 
                    always humble and beheld all devotees and small children with 
                    glory...”
 Ten thousands devotees availed of the celebration.
 
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                  25 
                    May 2006 (V.S. 2062, Vaishakh vad 13) Thursday, Bhavnagar, 
                    Surat, Navsari 
                     
                      At 11.40 
                        am Swamishri departed by plane from Bhavnagar and landed 
                        at Surat airport at 12.00 noon. Thereafter Swamishri proceeded 
                        by road towards Navsari, reaching the BAPS mandir at 1.10 
                        pm. 
                      In the 
                        evening assembly, after Viveksagar Swami’s discourse 
                        on the Vachanamrut, Swamishri was welcomed with garlands 
                        offered by sadhus and devotees. Thereafter a welcome dance 
                        was performed by BAPS children and youths. Then the youths 
                        performed a drama based on the theme of atma-gnan from 
                        the Upanishads – Sanatkumar and Naradji. Finally, 
                        Swamishri blessed the assembly.
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                  26 
                    May 2006 (V.S. 2062, Vaishakh vad 14) Friday, NavsariAfter his morning puja Swamishri performed the murti-pratishtha 
                    rituals of the murtis of Akshar Purushottam Maharaj, Radha-Krishna 
                    Dev, Hanumanji and Ganapatji and Guru parampara for a BAPS 
                    hari mandir in Borifaliya-Onjal.
 
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                  27 
                    May 2006 (V.S. 2062, Vaishakh vad 30) Saturday, NavsariThe city corporation or council members honoured Swamishri 
                    in the evening satsang assembly at the mandir. Prior to this 
                    Viveksagar Swami discoursed on the Vachanamrut and BAPS tribal 
                    children performed a tribal dance. Thereafter, Shri Kanjibhai 
                    MP had a painting on Mahatma Gandhi receiving the blessings 
                    of Shastriji Maharaj during his Dandi March unveiled at the 
                    hands of Swamishri. Gandhiji had met Shastriji Maharaj in 
                    the village of Navagam on 13 March 1930. The painting depicting 
                    the historic incident would be displayed in the exhibition 
                    on Gandhiji at Dandi.
 Shri Nitinbhai Kansara, Executive Chairman of Navsari Municipality, 
                    read the citation before presenting it to Swamishri. Then 
                    the office bearers of various leading organizations of Navsari 
                    also presented separate citations to honour Swamishri: Vijalpur 
                    Corporation, Navsari District Office, Chamber of Commerce, 
                    representative of Kabilpor village office, Rotary Club, Manav 
                    Kalyan Trust, Saiyaji Vaibhav Library, Health Centre and Yogasan 
                    Organization, Agrawal Community, BJP Youth Wing, President 
                    of Navsari District, BJP President of Ahwa-Dang district, 
                    Kutch Kadva Patidar Samaj, Prajapati Samaj and Giants Club.
 Finally, Swamishri blessed the assembly expressing that the 
                    honour and accolades offered were all due to the efforts and 
                    grace of Bhagwan Swaminarayan, Shastriji Maharaj and Yogiji 
                    Maharaj.
 
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                  30 
                    May 2006 (V.S. 2062, Jeth sud 3) Tuesday, Navsari, Kosamba 
                    (Tithal)After performing his morning puja in Navsari Swamishri performed 
                    the pratishtha rituals of the murtis of the BAPS hari mandirs 
                    in Bhinar and Mahudi.
 At 10.20 am Swamishri departed from Navsari and arrived at 
                    Valsad at 11.00 am. After the welcome rituals Swamishri inaugurated 
                    the newly built residence for sadhus.
 
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