Trinidad 2004 - Report 2
March-April 2004

report 1 - report 2

1st April 2004
Sri Swamiji visited the Aripo river. Sri Swamiji inaugurated the newly built changing rooms for women, small kitchen and small cottage for Sri Swamiji. Later Sri Swamiji went around the Audumbara three three times. Pada Puja and river bathing were done. Sri Swamiji sprinkled water on devotees. The entire mountainous road leading to the river was laced with parked vehicles. Shiva Puja was performed.
In the evening, Sri Swamiji performed Sri Chakra Puja and later speaking - Gurudeva revealed the intention to revive the now defunct Datta Mala magazine. Sri Swamiji announced that it would be published as a quarterly.

2, 3 and 4th April 2004
In the evenings, Sri Swamiji conducted discourses on nine Swarupa of Lord Hanuman. The beautiful stories associated with the nine incarnations were engaging and enriching.
Sri Swamiji released the book - "The Life and Mission of Lord Hanuman". This English book narrates the lectures of Sri Swamiji given during the Hanuman temple inauguration in Trinidad last year.

4th April 2004, Sunday
Aruna Homa was performed. Sri Swamiji joined the devotees in offering Namaskars to the Fire God to propitiate the oblations to Aruna Deva, the charioteer of Sun God.

5th April 2004 - 1st Anniversary of Hanuman Temple
Hanuman Jayanti festival was celebrated as prescribed in the local almanacs. As it was also full moon day, Pavamana and Hanuman Homas were performed. Sri Swamiji performed Abhishekam to Lord Hanuman on the evening of auspicious Hanuman Jayanti (as performed in Trinidad) on 5th April 2004. As Sri Swamiji commenced the Abhishekam, thousands of devotees started to chant the Hanuman Chalisa loudly.
Then Sri Swamiji allowed all devotees to come and perform Abhishekam personally to the procession idol of Hanuman. To all, it was a personal service to the Lord which made them very happy.
Sri Swamiji then performed the Maha Mangala Arati to the idol of Karya Siddhi Hanuman.
Sri Pasupathy, who had served as priest in the Hanuman temple upon instructions from Sri Swamiji was honored by Sri Ramesh Persad Maharaj.
The Nada Sangama Steel pan orchestra played popular Bhajans and film songs for a while. Sri Swamiji released their third CD and played with them for a while. Ecstatic devotees sang along the Bhajans, thrilled that Sadgurudeva was playing their national instrument.
Thus, the 1st anniversary of the Hanuman temple and the other shrines took place.

6th April 2004
Sri Swamiji visited Princes town. Sri Ram Dath family have been running the 2nd Ashrama in Trinidad. The small town situated in the rural sugar cane fields has a Datta temple. A new building with kitchen and dining facilities and a cottage to accommodate visiting pilgrims has been newly constructed and Sri Swamiji inaugurated it.
After Purnahuti, Sri Swamiji performed a unusually long Sri Chakra Puja. After the Puja, Sri Swamiji was in meditation for about 40 minutes while Swami Manasa was lecturing on Rutha, Sathya and Dharma principles in life.
Sri Swamiji spoke and urged the mainly rural folks to maintain their simple lives with simple wishes and not to emulate city lives and have unwieldy wishes.
That evening a friendly game of cricket was played between the Mysore Ashrama staff and the Trinidad youth devotees. The latter won the match - but closely.

7, 8 and 9th April 2004
Sri Swamiji rested in a resort on the island of Tobago. Before leaving, Sri Swamiji inaugurated the Kriya Yoga camp for 75 students conducted by Swami Manasa.
The time in Tobago was quiet and restful. Sea bath, star gazing and Mouna (silence) were the items in agenda. On 8th, while looking at the stars, constellations and planets, Sri Swamiji looked at the sky and remarked "I wonder on which planet are my beloved devotees - Manager Krishnamurthy and Bhagavath. I feel their presence now". (these two gentlemen were the first office bearers of Ashrama from mid-seventies and were close advisors to Sri Swamiji. Both are no more.)

10th April 2004
In the evening, Sri Swamiji visited the Caroni swamp and Bird sanctuary. Several boats carrying devotees cruised through the placid and brackish back-waters of Caribbean sea. At around 5.30 PM, thousands of Scarlet ibis showing off their brilliant red colors flew home to the mangrove trees in the swamp. From the boat we could see at a distant - the mighty northern mountain range and the hill in which the Aripo river flows.

11th April 2004 - The last day of the visit.
Sri Swamiji addressed the Kriya Yoga Students and exhorted them to keep their tradition alive and enrich others about the good experiences they gain from regular practice of Kriya Yoga.
At 10.30 AM, Sri Swamiji performed the Sri Rama Shanti Homa. Sitting south facing, Sri Swamiji performed the Homa as devotees chanted the Shata Shloki Ramayana. The whole hall reverberated with the Rama Mantras from the sacred epic, Ramayana. It is only during Navaratri festivals that one sees Sri Swamiji personally performing Homa. But in the distant Trinidad, to see Sri Swamiji personally perform Homa to the chants of Ramayana by devotees was a historic and important event for Trinidadians and the Datta Peetham. Never before has Sri Swamiji personally performed Homa anywhere else except in Haridwar a couple of years ago.
After the Homa, Sri Swamiji said that he was very pleased with the visit to Trinidad and especially the Shata Shloki Ramayana lectures and the Rama Shanti Homa.
Later Sri Swamiji honored Pundits of Trinidad. Sri Swamiji then released the new Trinidad Hanuman Datta Mala.(click here to read excerpts from the magazine). Sri Swamiji was very happy that within a week of spelling out his intention, the book had been published. Sri Swamiji gave the first copy to the sponsor of the first edition, Sri Valmiki Ram Naraine. Sri Mukunda David Balroop, Editor, was Blessed.
In the evening, Sri Sherwin Seenath, Secretary of Datta Yoga Center proposed vote of thanks and profusely thanked Sri Swamiji for visiting and Blessing Trinidad.
Afterwards, Sri Swamiji went around the Karya Siddhi Hanuman while devotees followed Sadgurudeva in a single file and went around the giant idol in the specific patters of Sri Swamiji's path. More than 2000 devotees were present.
After the Pradakshina, Sri Swamiji sat on the lawns around the temple, looking at Hanuman. Devotees sat around singing Rama and Hanuman Bhajans. It was a perfect setting to watch Hanuman, Sadgurudeva, the beloved and dedicated devotees, the planets Jupiter, Venus, Mars and Saturn all across the sky witnessing the solemn event.

12th April 2004
In the morning, Sri Swamiji visited the prayer hall to bade good bye to the devotees. Sri Swamiji sat with them and performed meditation for around 30 minutes and urged devotees to learn calmness and meditation so that at least a few minutes of day, they could live without the mundane thoughts.
Sri Swamiji left Trinidad for USA at 9.45 AM.

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