SWAMIJI
HARDWAR
A colourful collage of festivals, saffron robes and rituals. The echoes of continuous chanting coupled with the melodious ringing of bells and devotional songs (bhajans) fills the air to create a magical atmosphere. The tranquil river Ganges flows from the snow-capped Himalayas passing through this holy town. The Hindus believe that they wash their sins, as they do their bodies, while bathing in the Ganges. The Ganga Aarti with all it splendour is a visual treat. It is a tradition amongst Hindus to burn corpses, submerging the ashes in the river. Pandits perform last rites by reciting stanzas from sacred books (vedas) to bring peace to the everlasting soul.
Many years ago, when Hardwar wasn’t commercialised, it was a small, unspoilt, holy spot. Swamiji set up Vishram Kutir and subsequently Narshingh Mandir.
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Daily Routine
We woke up at 5am to go to his room, to bow down- our morning salutation pranam (namaskar). We could hear bhajans on a loudspeaker reverberating through the whole of Saptsarovar. Many of us would come back down to meditate for an hour, encouraging the discipline. The Narsingh Mandir morning aarti was at 7am which started with sound meditation using musical instruments. We would then go to the riverbanks to take a dip in the Ganges, instilling our faith in Goddess Ganga.
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Lunch time was around 1pm when Swamiji used to come down and sit with us for an hour. He would usually bring food he had cooked lovingly to share with us. He believed in food for nourishment more than taste. Food provides goodness that purifies existence, giving strength, health and satisfaction. Spinach leaves, bitter gourd, whole meal wheat chapattis, almonds, honey and saffron were the foods that he thought were beneficial. He stressed on eating for the well-being of our bodies, not the sake of our tongues.
For the time he spent with us, in the afternoon and evening, he told us many stories from the Mahabharata and Ramayana. Sometimes of saints (rishis and munis) and the lessons we should learn from them.
As a follower of Lord Hanuman, Swamiji often took us to the Hanuman Temple on the Ganges. He also organized a yearly Ramayan recitation which would last continuously until it was complete (7-8 days).