Pune: Sadhu Vaswani’s 57th Anniversary Observed With Procession, Prayers, Guru Langar
Camp, 17th January 2023: 16th and 17th January 2023 marked the 57th Mahayagna (anniversary) of Sadhu Vaswani. He was the founder of the Sadhu Vaswani Mission and a revered saint of India who preached love and compassion for all including animals. In observance, Sadhu Vaswani Mission held a procession, prayers, talks and satsangs and extensive sevas.
On 16th January, the Mission organized a ‘prabhat pheri’ – a sacred morning procession. Didi Krishna Kumari, Executive Head, Sadhu Vaswani Mission led devotees singing the Name of God along the lanes and by-lanes of Pune. Chants of Hare Krishna Hare Ram Dada Shyam echoed aloud. This was followed by a satsang, havan & silence to commemorate 8.22AM, the passing away time of Sadhu Vaswani. In the afternoon session, bhajans and kirtans in remembrance of the guru were sung. In the evening session, the satsang featured recorded talks of Sadhu Vaswani and Dada J.P. Vaswani. Later, a vigil session of bhajans and kirtans was held till midnight.
On 17th January, morning satsang and sevas were held. In her talk, Didi Krishna, narrated a beautiful memory of a Mahayagna day when Dada J.P. Vaswani was offered flowers and he spoke of the lotus of the heart. Quoting him she said, “The external flowers are beautiful but they fade away. But there is one flower, within your heart that is ever-blooming and ever-fragrant. The Mahayagna of saints brings the message to behold the vision of this flower within. To do this, one must connect with God and chant the Name Divine. Therefore, turn within.”
One of the attendees, Naina Motwani said, “Sadhu Vaswani is my all. Today’s message of Didi Krishna further strengthens my feeling where I feel him within me. He is my lifeboat.”
Guru Langar (fellowship meals) was offered to everyone in the afternoon session. One of the attendees, Hiru Wadhwa, coming from the USA said, “I have never met Sadhu Vaswani physically but his recorded talks draw me to him. Attending the event and taking the langar is a blessing.”
At 5.15PM, a prayer & silence session was held to commemorate the time of Sadhu Vaswani’s last rites. This was followed by a Deepak Yatra where devotees lit lamps at the Sadhu Vaswani Chowk. In the evening session, a recorded talk of Sadhu Vaswani was played followed by ‘scenes from the life of Sadhu Vaswani’.
Major sessions of the programme were broadcast live on the official YouTube Channel of the Sadhu Vaswani Mission. After all pandemic restrictions were lifted, devotees from across the world converged at the Sadhu Vaswani Mission to observe the 57th Mahayagna.
Sadhu Vaswani often said: Give up thy rosary and the temple-bells. Go to the broken cottages of the poor, and there greet the Beloved! Service activities were a central part of the observance. The Mahayagna seva activities included distribution of ration kits to 140 needy families in Pune, Pimpri, and Daund. Fruit distribution seva for 280 patients on 16th and 17th each at Mission’s healthcare institute was also carried out. Clothes distribution seva for children at 4 Zilla Parishad schools in Bibewadi was conducted. Sarees were distributed among 50 transgenders. Medical sevas were conducted at healthcare institutions of the Sadhu Vaswani Mission on the 16th and 17th of January 2023.
Sadhu Vaswani was born in Hyderabad-Sind of undivided India. He was an academician, educationist, patriot, advocate of animal rights, writer, orator, and a pioneer in women’s upliftment. As early as 1929 he started the Sakhi Satsang and the Sakhi Stores for welfare of women. In 1933, he established the Mira Movement in Education where character-building learning was imparted to the girl child. Following the partition, he moved to India and made Pune his headquarters and brought with him the Mira Movement. Today, it has grown from strength to strength and has 18+ schools and colleges across India and abroad. He was also a patriot who closely worked with Mahatma Gandhi in the Satyagraha Movement and also other freedom struggle stalwarts including Rabindranath Tagore, Lokamanya Tilak among others.
As a speaker at the WELT Congress in Berlin in 1910, he gave the message of “Atmagyan” to westerners. An academician par excellence with an M.A Degree he helmed several leading colleges as the principal. Eventually, to dedicate his life to God, he renounced a promising career and life and became a “fakir” and spread the message of God. He was also a fervent advocate of animal rights and unequivocally said: Stop All Slaughter! His life was marked with divinity, love, compassion, and service to the poor. Revered as a Saint of Modern India, his life and teachings continue to inspire seekers across the globe.
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