Krishna Pushkaram
7th to 11th September 2004
7 September 2004
The Mahapurnahuti of Lalitha Maha Yajna was held in the morning. This brought to an end the 12 day ceremonies in the Jaya Durga Teertham to an end. Main priests from Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams brought Maha Prasadam from the sacred Lord Balaji shrine and offered to Pujya Sadgurudeva.With this the Krishna Pushkara Programs of Datta Peetham came to an end. In the evening veda Sabha was held in which more than 60 Vedic scholars from Krishna and Guntur districts participated. varahala Reddy director of Kakatiya Education institutions honored the scholars. In the evening Sri Swamiji visited the Ashrama of Sri Tridandi Ramanuja Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji in Seethanagaram. Sri Swamiji spent better part of the time listening to the activities of the Ashrama and about the recent Tirumala temple developments. Sri Swamiji announced that Whatever Lord Venkateswara wanted would happen. Sri Swamiji discourse centered on Bhakti, Devotion and its importance. Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji lauded the activities of Sri Swamiji.
8 September 2004
Last day of the Krishna Pushkara - holy period of 12 days. Thousands took a holy dip in the sacred waters of Krishna river. In the 12 days more than 130,000 persons (One lake thirty thousand) had taken the holy bath. More than 90,000 were given free food in the Ashrama. More than 1000 volunteers had engaged in self less service in different parts of the town assisting the pilgrims to ensure orderliness and smooth conduct of the festival. Ashrama had run a free medical camp with the help of Soumya Apollo hospital. Pilgrims in need of assistance were immediately attended to. Health awareness camps were held.Over all - the Pushkara program was a grand success of heavenly dimensions.
In the morning Sri Swamiji took a river bath and the Homa Kalashas water was immersed in the Krishna river. The turmeric colored Kalasha water merging in to the placid gray Krishna water was a sight to see. Later Sri Swamiji took mother Goddess Durga devi idol procession to the main Ashrama of Vijayawada in Patamata area. Sri Swamiji was received by the Trustees of the Ashrama, Sri Kolli Gopalakrishnaiah, Sri MVS Chowdhury, Sri Kaja Yajnanarayana, Sri Tummala Sivanarayana, Sri Prabhakara Iyer and others. Thousands of devotees had thronged the Ashrama to witness the events. After the Darsana of Kshipra Ganapathy and Shyamakamala Lochana Dattatreya, Sri Swamiji performed Abhisheka to Marakata Raja Rajeswari Devi., During the Abhishekam Sri Swamiji manifested a Mangalyam and adorned it on the Devi idol. There after Sri Swamiji gave a speech about different paths to liberation. Sri Swamiji asserted that the rituals and worship path is imminent in the beginning to any path of worship .Thence Maha Mangalarati was performed. The earlier Veda teacher of Veda school in Mysore Ashrama, Sri Dendukuri Venkateswara Avadhani was honored with a Shawl and Sambhavana.
In the afternoon Sri Swamiji visited the house of Sri MVS Chowdhury and visited the ailing devotee, Smt Vasundharamma. She was one of the earliest devotee in Vijayawada when Sri Swamiji visited in early 70s. She was also the first person to request Sri Swamiji to establish a Raja Rajeswari temple in Vijayawada Ashrama.
In the evening Sri Swamiji traveled to Ashrama in Guntur town. Situated on the main grand trunk highway, a Datta temple was installed last year. Sri Gopi Krishna, executive Trustee and other trustees welcomed Sri Swamiji. Sri Swamiji instructed reorganization of the Temple committee. Sri Swamiji then spoke about rising children in the modern times yet adhering to the Sanatana tradition of ours. Sri Swamiji's strong advice was to get rid of televisions and video players till the children are 18 years of age. Sri Swamiji gave special attention to the forty odd orphans being housed in the Ashrama orphanage. Sri Swamiji was very pleased with the care given to them.
In the night Sri Swamiji returned to Jaya Durga Teertha. Later a marvelous display of fire works created by a local village was held. It mirrored the ingenuity of the rural folk in this creative talent.
9 September 2004
Sri Swamiji inaugurated the Krishna Guru Sannidhi program. More than 200 persons who ad enrolled for the seminars were elated to hear lectures on Vedanta from Sri Swamiji and Sri Kuppa Krishnamurthy. Sri Gopala Krishna and Raja Rao conducted Kriya yoga lessons.
At noon Sri Swamiji visited the Chandi Homa Ghat, just 100 yards away from Jaya Durga Teertham, The Homa convener, Bollepalli Satyanarayana and Sri Rayapati Sambashiva Rao, MP (member of Parliament) welcomed Sri Swamiji to the Maha Purnahuti programs. Swami Shiva Chaitanya spoke on Sri Swamiji's greatness. Sri Swamiji spoke about the commitment of Sri Bollepalli Satyanarayana and his wife in conducting such religious rituals. Sri Swamiji reminisced that 12 years ago during the previous Krishna Pushkara, Sri Bollepalli had conducted such Yaga on the banks of Krishna river for which Sri Swamiji had offered the Maha Purnahuti. It was then that Sri Swamiji decided to establish a ashrama on the banks of Krishna river. The idea that was born 12 years ago took shape immediately and Jaya Durga Teertham was born. Sri Swamiji said that credit for the foundation of the present Jaya Durga Teertham should partly go to Bollepalli Satyanarayana. There was thunderous applause.
Sri Swamiji later offered Maha Purnahuti to Shata Chandi Yaga and Ati Rudra Yagas.
At 3 PM Sri Swamijiw as taken around the Krishna barrage in a boat by tourist department officials. Sri Swamiji visited the Bhavani island where the Andhra Pradesh toursim department has developed cottaged and a seminar house. Sri Swamiji was impressed with the developments and remembered Gwatt Center which he had recently visited in Switzerland.
In the evening Sri Swamiji addressed Krishna Sannidhi program.
10th September 2004
In the morning Sri
Swamiji discoursed on Vedanta lessons.
In the afternoon Sri Swamiji visited the primary school in Undavalli village
to which Jaya Durga Teertham belongs. Sri Swamiji spent a happy time with
village children and regaled them with his own childhood stories most
of which have been printed in the life story book of Sri Swamiji.
A sound system was donated by Datta Peetham to the school.
Arrving back at the Durga Teertham, Sri Swamiji conducted extensive exercise classes to those participating in Krishna Sannidhi programs. Sri Swamiji displayed different types of vegetables, fruits and prepared food and consuled about healthy eating. Sri Swamiji stressed to avoid fatty substances and urged to develop sattvic eating habits.
Sri Chakra Puja was held in the evening.
11 September 2004
Participants of the Krishna Sannidhi program had the blessed opportunity to touch the holy feet of Sri Swamiji. Sri Chakra Puja was held on a specially erected stage on the Krishna river. It was a wonderful sight to see Sri Swamiji almost float on the river. But the sun light was severe.
Sri Swamiji was given a send off program in the afternoon by tearful devotees who had the most memorable time of Sacred Krishna Pushkara with Sri Swamiji.
Thus concluded
Sri Swamiji's fourth Krishna Pushkaram. Sri Swamiji had said that the
first was when he was a child in Sri Sailam. The second was in 1980, third
in 1992 and this , the fourth one in 2004. The last three were in Vijayawada.
Sri
Swamiji departed to Nellore.
Annadanam to the pilgrims visiting Ashrama
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The Maha Purnahuti of Lalitha Yaga
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Prasadam from Tirumala priests
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Devotees and pilgrims witness the Purnahuti
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Veda Sadas in the evening
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Sri Tridandi Srimannarayana Jeeyar honors Sri Swamiji
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Sri Swamiji released Kalasha water in to Krishna river
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People rush to have the ritual dip in Krishna river on the last day of
the Pushkara - 8th September
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Sri Swamiji carried Krishna river water for Abhisheka to Marakata Raja
Rajeswari idol in Vijayawada Ashrama.
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Sri
Swamiji visited the ailing Vasundharamma and gave her Krishna Pushkara
Teertham. It was in this house Sri Swamiji stayed many times when visits
to Vijayawada started in the 70s. Her husband and ardent devotee trustee
- Sri MVS Chowdhury is also seen.
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Sri Swamiji in Guntur Ashrama with the newly constituted Temple Committee
members
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Some of the children from the orphanage run by Guntur Ashrama.
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Three days of Yoga and Vedanta classes were held under the name KRISHNA
SANNIDHI.
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Participants of the Krishna Sannidhi program
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On the last day (11th), Sri Chakra Puja was performed on Krishna waters
on a specially erected platform.
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The Sri Chakra Puja witnessed by Krishna Venamma (river as fondly called
by the localities)
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