| |
More
Photographs
|
29 September 2002
Akshardham, Gandhinagar
|
|
The condolence prayer
meeting organized in the presence of Pujya Pramukh Swami Maharaj
was held at Akshardham, Gandhinagar on the evening of 29th September
from 5.00 p.m. to 7.00 p.m. The other spiritual leaders present
were Pujya Mangalanandji of Gita Mandir, Pujya Hariprakash Swami
of Gandhinagar Gurukul, Pujya Anandpriya Swami of Kumkum, Maninagar,
Pujya Madhavpriya Swami of Rajkot Gurukul, Shri Ramdasji of Karamsad,
Shri Keshavbhavani Maharaj of Nadiad, Shri Rameshwardasji of Jagannath
Mandir, Swami Atmanandji of Koba, representatives of Swami Purushottampriyadasji
of Maninagar Swaminarayan Sampraday, Shri Vaishnavacharya Vrajeshkumarji,
etc.
|
 |
Also present were
the Governor Shri Sunder Singh Bhandari, Chief Minister Shri Narendra
Modi, ex-Chief Minister Shri Keshubhai Patel, Leader of Opposition
Shri Amarsinh Chaudhary, Speaker of State Legislative Assembly
Shri Dhirubhai Shah and the Ahmedabad Mayor Shri Himmatsinh Patel.
The prayer assembly commenced with
devotional prayers sung by sadhus for the peace of the departed
souls, grieving relatives and all sympathisers.
Then the entire gathering observed
a 2-minute silent prayer for the deceased and injured, and for
harmony.
|
 |
In his blessings Swamishri said,
"What has happened has caused much pain. Everyone feels this
anguish. We have offered peace prayers for the departed souls and
that their families be blessed with inner strength to bear this
loss. We have also prayed for the speedy recovery of those injured...
There has always been a conflict between good and evil forces, and
ultimately it is the good that triumphs. God dispenses justice to
all according to their actions. Let us pray that all are blessed
with virtuous thoughts... Prayer is a spiritual weapon. Gandhiji
gained much strength from prayer. My Guru Yogiji Maharaj encouraged
people to pray in order to overcome their personal, family and social
difficulties… Our happiness does not lie in the misery of
others but it lies in the joy of others and in the progress of others…"
|
 |
Thereafter, Pujya
Ishwarcharan Swami, on behalf of BAPS, offered his condolences
to those who died and delivered a vote of thanks to all those
who had assisted in the rescue operation. He thanked Pramukh Swami
Maharaj for his guidance and support, all religious and spiritual
leaders, politicians and bureaucrats, the NSG commandoes, the
SRP commandoes, BSF, CRPF, CISF, doctors and staff at the Civil
Hospital, NGOs, blood donors, the fire brigade, and everyone who
had offered their support. Pujya Ishwarcharan Swami specially
remembered Pujya Parmeshwar Swami and the four BAPS volunteers
who died during the incident, and also thanked the many brave
volunteers who saved many lives at their own risk. He also declared
that though nobody can compensate the family of the dead for their
great loss, but as a token of our condolences and appreciation,
BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha will be donating:
- Rs. 300,000 for
the family of the deceased NSG Commando Subedar Suresh Kumar
Yadav
- Rs. 200,000 each
for the families of deceased State Commandos Shri Arjun Singh
Gameti and Shri Allah Rakha Unadjam
- Rs. 200,000 for
the injured NSG Commando Shrujan Singh
- Rs. 100,000 for
the 29 families of the pilgrims who died
- Rs. 25,000 for
each of the injured jawans
- Compensation
for the injured pilgrims
|
 |
At the conclusion
of the assembly, all 30,000 present offered mantra pushpanjali
and performed a mass Arti to God in respect of all those who died
in the Akshardham carnage.
Thereafter, Swamishri met and blessed
the relatives of the deceased.
|
| More
Photographs |
|
|
|
)
)
)
)
)
