LISTEN TO PEETHE
PEETHE-HAMSANADAM RAGA (mp3)
LISTEN TO Speech
from 1986. Released as a CD (mp3)
Sri Swamiji visited Switzerland from 19th to
26th July 2007. Sri Swamiji arrived from Avignon to Berne town
in Switzerland and proceeded to Flueli Ranft village. This area
is where Sri Swamiji had earlier visited to Gwatt and Hasliberg
in earlier years. Sri Swamiji was received by the Datta Yoga
Center members of Switzerland and Germany. In the evening, Guru
Puja was performed and Kakadarati performed. Flueli is a small
village about 80 minutes from Luzern city. It is on a hill and
is famous for the presence of the church of Brother Nicholas.
He lived in the 14th century and is considered as the patron
Saint of Switzerland. Couple
of years ago Sri Swamiji had visited the church of Brother Nicholas
and had offered prayers there.
On 20th, Sri Swamiji visited the Satsang Hall
in Hausen am Albis near Zurich city. Nahusha welscomed Sri Swamiji to the Satsang room. Two Pranayamas were performed
by devotees in the sacred presence of Sri Swamiji. Sri Swamiji
spoke and said that Satsang is important and that one should
make an internal assessment about the improvement in quality
of life and goodness. If there is no progress, then one should
seriously think if it is good for him to attend Satsang or not.
Later, Sri Swamiji visited Jecklin music store.
It was here, way back in 1988, Sri Swamiji was gifted with a
Roland synthesizer, which Sri Swamiji uses even today for the
healing music concerts world wide.
On Saturday 21st, Music for Meditation and Healing
program was held in Casino Kursal auditorium in Interlaken city.
The auditorium was ornate, grandly decorated and beautiful. The
decoration on the stage was refined yet glorious. The program
began at 6.30 pm with Mr. Hans Burgener, who organised the program,
giving the welcome and introduction speech. Mr.Hans Imesch, who
installed Sri Swamiji's music in dozens of telephone cabins all
over Switzerland, lit the lamp and inaugurated the concert. Sri
Agastya Seikritt, organizer of the first concert in 1987, gave
flower garland to Sri Swamiji.
The music that flowed was heavenly and soul lifting.
Sri Swamiji chose to play Hamsanadam Raga (Bhajan - Peethe Peethe) CLICK
HERE LISTEN or DOWNLOAD SAMPLE and Raga Vanaspati (Ilalo
Kalalo). Sri Swamiji played the Mahabharata tune brilliantly
and the 700 seat auditorium, which was full, thoroughly enjoyed
every note that was created by Sri Swamiji's divine hands. Sri
Swamiji moved around the auditorium during the THANI Avarthana
blended with violin interplay. Ms. Esther Vimala Kaegi gave the
Edel Weiss plant from high Alps Mountain and a quartz crystal
from the area to Sri Swamiji. Mr. Hans Burgener and his wife
Margrit Burgener gave gifts to musicians and honored them.
The concert was covered in the news paper ""Jung Frau Zeitung". Click here to see the news clipping
The 90 minutes drive back from Interlaken to
Flueli was through a powerful storm, the lightening strikes lighting
up the Swiss mountains and the rains lashing all across.
On Sunday, July 22nd, more than 500 people attended
the Sri Chakra Puja and Homa. After the Puja, children came in
a small group, offered flowers and Arati and welcomed Sri Swamiji.
It was such a beautiful sight. Children with the shy and innocent
faces facing Sri Swamiji, who they generally encounter at homes
through the photos kept by parents. Later, Ueli Gasser, a long
term devotee of Switzerland presented a CD titled "Jewels
of Sound and Speech"- which has excerpts from Sri Swamiji's
18 visits to Switzerland spanning from 1976 till the last visit
to Gwatt in 2005. (click
here to listen to Sri Swamiji's speech from 1986 given in Herrliberg,
Switzerland. It is track 2 on Disc 1). Shabari
gave brief overview of the visits which co incided with the celebration of Switzerland Datta Yoga Center's 20th Jubilee celebration. Sri Swamiji then spoke and
Blessed the audience and said that Switzerland has a special
place in His heart. The new CD can be ordered on the Datta Yoga
Center - Switzerland web site. (www.dyc.ch)
It should be noted here that the entire arrangements,
the manner in which the program was conducted was brimming with
professionalism and punctuality, two traits the Swiss are famous
for. The stage decoration, the back projection of images related
to Brother Nicholas and Datta Peetham, Puja arrangements etc
etc., were all wonderful. One could learn a lot from the Swiss
organizational expertise.
Before Homa Purnahuti, Sri Swamiji gave name
to a Swiss child as Anne Annapurna.
In the afternoon, the Datta Yoga Center of Switzerland celebrated its 20th Jubilee. Switzerland Datta Yoga Center was the first registered center in Europe. Shabari led through the celebrations that started with the beautiful Bharata
Natyam dance by Sarah Gasser. Later, a photo slide show of Sri
Swamiji's various visits to Switzerland was shown for which,
Heiner Greider & Nagesha Portmann gave commentary. The slide show was released as a CD and is available in the Swiss Datta Yoga Center's web site - (www.dyc.ch).
Later, the 2007 Nada Brahma video was screened.
The audience were mesmerized by the beautiful photography. Prasad
explained the history of the audio and video recordings in the
2007 Nada Brahma video.
From 23rd July, a three day seminar on sacred
text of Guru Geeta started. Sri Swamiji on 23rd, 24th and 25th
July gave six lectures on Guru Geeta and Guru Ashtaka. Sri Swamiji
spoke about the important 70 Shlokas of Guru Geeta.
On Monday evening, Smt. Manini Steiger gave a
short lecture on Brother Nicholas who lived as a hermit in Flueli
village during 14th century. Later, Mr. Pascal, a devotee gave
a mind boggling magic show for one hour. He called Swami Manasa
on stage for assistance and their performance left everyone rolling
on the floor with laughter.
On tuesday evening, Sri Swamiji sang Bhajans.
Along with the Ashrama musicians, Mr.Hans Greider on Saxophone,
Ueli Gasser on bass guitar and Ulf Manu on guitar played with
Sri Swamiji. The improvisation of music as Jazz notes on Saxophone
of Bhajans Shambho Mahadeva, Om Aim Hreem Shreem, Dance tune,
Pahi Pahi Gajanana were played. Before the Bhajans, Antje Fritz
spoke about the social projects undertaken by Datta Peetham in
India.
On Wednesday, 25th July 2007, Ms. Vedavati of
Mysore Ashrama gave a violin recital guided by Sri Jaitra Varanasi,
Sri Swamiji's violinist. She played nine compositions admirably.
Sri Swamiji lectured on 70 selected Shlokas of
Guru Gita in the morning sessions and also chanted the Guru Ashtaka.
In the evening, a send off program was planned.
First, there was String Quartet by a group called PAUSE. They
played popular classical melodies. Later, Agastya Seikritt spoke
about the children camp he conducted parallel to the Guru Geeta
program and how he was amazed at their simple ways of thinking,
camaraderie and love for Sri Swamiji. Prizes were given to sports
competition winners. Benjamin won prize in Table Tennis and Table
football. Nicola won prize in football.
The entourage members were honoured by the Datta
Yoga Center, Switzerland.
Sri Swamiji was offered Vastram, Flower Mala,
Crown and a statue of Brother Nicolas. Then the lights in the
hall dimmed and the stage curtain closed for a short while. And
when the stage curtained opened, the stage too was dark except
for the 16 candles kept around Sri Swamiji's chair which lit
Sri Swamiji like a jewel shining. The Bhajan group chanted the
Guru Ashtaka and at the end there was a impromptu meditation
by the entire audience ..... just by seeing Sri Swamiji sitting
crossed legs and closed eyes. The curtains closed.................
Sri Guru Datta
Sri Swamiji left for Canada on 26th July 2007
at 9 AM from Zurich's Kloten Airport. The Datta Yoga Centers
of Switzerland and Germany had made the week long visit of Sri
Swamiji to the land of Brother Nicholas an amazing and unforgettable
experience. The love and adulation they have for Sri Swamiji
is pure and palpable.
Good Bye Europe
Hello Canada
Sri Swamiji welcomed by the members
of Datta Yoga Center, Switzerland and Germany
Sri Swamiji reads Bhajan Book
published by DYC, Switzerland. To Sri Swamiji's right is the
photo of Brother Nicholas from 14th century, considered as the
patron saint of Switzerland. He lived in Flueli village. In the
same place Sri Swamiji's week long program of Sri Swamiji took
place this year
Sri Swamiji and Manasa Datta in
Satsang Room in Zurich
The magnificent concert hall in
Casino Kursal, Interlaken
Sri Swamiji lifts right hand with
Chinmudra
Sri Swamiji plays Vanaspati Raga
Sri Swamiji holds the moon crystal
on forehead
Sri Swamiji walks back to the
stage after moving around the audience
A Happy Sri Swamiji after the
concert
Pax Montana hotel in Flueli where
Guru Geeta lectures took place
The wonderful panorama of Swiss
valley is all around
Morning 5 am. The mist in the
valley below causes the cloud to look like a cloud mala
Sri Chakra Puja on Sunday, 22nd
July 2007
Children welcome Sri Swamiji with
flowers and Arati
Sri Swamiji releases the CD "Jewels
of sound and speech - Sri Ganapati Sachchidananda Swamiji in
Switzerland 1986-2004".
The CD compiler, Ueli Gasser is also seen.
Sri Swamiji singing Bhajans on
tuesday evening. On the extreme left is Mr. Heiner Greider on
Saxophone
The audience singing Bhajans
Sri Swamiji walks in front of
the 14th century house of Brother Nicholas
Sarah Gasser, daughter of Ueli
Gasser gave a fantastic Bharata Natyam performance on Sunday
evening
Manini Steiger speaks about the
mystical diagram of Brother Nicholas. It is interpreted that
the central Bindu is God and all creations.
PAUSE - A string quartet played
classical melodies during the good bye session to Sri Swamiji
Pulastya offers Mala to Sri Swamiji
as thanks for having visited Switzerland
A statue of Brother Nicholas was
given to Sri Swamiji
16 lamps around Sri Swamiji were
lit when the audience chanted the Guru Ashtaka. This was the
last event in this visit to Switzerland
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