Gurupurnima 2011

The temple decorated with light

Hot and humid weather is the characteristic of this season. When clouds leave room for the sun, water discharged by storms turns into humidity, ground oozes with a thin steam that permeates and make the air heavy and sticky.

Shri Manoj Kumar, I.A.S., presents the book published by Anil Baba

It’s nature that colors this painting and showed itself with all its abundance through vegetation and the animal kingdom. A wonder one can see, smell, listen to, touch, taste; flowers, fruits, trees, insects, birds, animal, in such a variety that stuns one’s senses.

Asuha Baba, Shri Aghoreshwar’s old disciple

The garden of the ashram, with the one of the nearby Samadhi of Shri Aghoreshwar, is the only green lungs of this area. Many kinds of animals and birds live here, among the fronds and roots of secular trees close to mango, guava, papaya, almond, teak, pipal, neem trees and many others we planted over the years.

Audience on Gurupurnima

In this period Viviana joined me from Italy and started to work at school with a group of little girls, Lucrezia’s friends, teaching them some songs to be presented during the meeting of the day of the Guru. Viviana, degree in languages, is in a theatre company and, in Italy, has been acting in plays for children, too.

Viviana and the little girls on Gurupurnima

Some days before Gurupurnima we started to prepare the different areas: for the kitchen, for the meeting and music and theatre performances, for the meals, for the overnight stay of those who would spent the night in the ashram, some hundred people.

Camp kitchen brings puris out

The day before many guests, even important ones, arrived. Many will be those who will be flocking the following day and many people will have to work hard to serve the crowd reaching the ashram.

Sadhus

In the morning, at about six ’o ’ clock, Anil Babaji and Gurubabaji did a havan in Shri Aghoreshwar’s honor, followed by Digbandhan and Aarti. The flag-raising ceremony has started the public event.

Our youth serve kids

A large number of people began to arrive and get Prashad, semolina (halua) and chickpeas (chana) breakfast. The day is hot and sunny, very good for the execution of the program.

Ganges water for the ceremony

All the classes of the complex Indian social and economic system were present, to testify their respect towards Shri Aghoreshwar and the Babas of the Siddhapith. Doctors, lawyers, civil servants, teachers, architects, writers, journalists, clerks, workers, hand workers, peasants, fishermen, jobless people, women and children, curious persons; they were thousands.

Prashad for everybody

After one p.m. we started to serve Prashad, lunch composed of puris (fried flour wafer) and sabji (vegetable pie), chutney, etc.

Hot puris all the time

In the afternoon, under a big top, the meeting with the guests took place. After our girls welcomed them, the members of the centre – doctors, lawyers, etc. – and the important persons present gave short speeches about our educational and medical activities and about the day of the Guru.

Welcoming the guests

Gurubabaji and Anilbabaji’s words closed the introduction, inviting the kids to show what they have been rehearsing during the previous weeks.

Gurubaba and Anil Baba address people

Chants and sketches have kept the people present busy until late in the evening, giving them laughs and fun.

Viviana’s little girls during their performance

The audience was more and more numerous and late in the night a youth company of Varanasi staged some episodes taken from Puranas and Mira Bai’s life, the well-known poetess, who composed very many devotional works.

Krishna appears to Mira Bai

Audience participation has been total and many exclamations of joy have been addressed to the stage.

Night is falling but not interest and fun

Nobody wanted to leave his seat, even if evening Prashad was ready. We too had dinner very late.

Shiva Puranas

The following morning guests left the ashram and the residents could have some rest.

Dibbhya and her classmates dance happily

It was an intense but serene day. Viviana lived a special experience and soon she will tell you about this last journey.