Omkarananda Jayanti Celebration,
on 25th December 2022

Omkarananda Jayanti always starts in the early morning, on 25th December, with the Sundarkand Path in front of the Omkarananda-Hanuman Temple, in the Headquarters of Omkarananda Ashram Himalayas.

View from above to the lovely Omkarananda-Hanuman Mandir on the right side. One can see a Katha Vachak, musicians and a few Vedic students, sitting in front of Lord Omkarananda-Hanuman and reciting and singing the Sundarkand. On the upper side of the photo is seen the magnificent Omkarananda-Kamakshi-Devi Mandir, which is just opposite to the Omkarananda-Hanuman Mandir. Both Temples are in the very beautiful and colourful South Indian Style.

Reciting and listening to the recitation of the Sundarkand, which is extolling Lord Hanumanji's extreme loyalty to his beloved Lord Rama and his extraordinary strength and courage, can protect oneself from negative energies, dangers, obstacles, etc. and even liberate oneself from the cycle of birth and death.

Mahant Shri Swami Vishveshwarananda Saraswati (left) happily greets and welcomes Shri Swami Sundarananda Saraswati (on the right) for the Omkarananda Jayanti Celebrations.

At the entrance to the Omkarananda-Kamakshi-Devi Mandir, from left to right: Shri Swami Satchidananda Saraswati, Treasurer, Omkarananda Ashram Himalayas, Mahamandaleshwar Shri 1008 Swami Vishnu Chaitanya Teerthji Maharaj, Delhi, Mahant Shri Swami Vishveshwarananda Saraswati, President, Omkarananda Ashram Himalayas, and Shri Swami Sundarananda Saraswati, President, Karttikeya Ashram, Rishikesh.

After the conclusion of the melodious and rhythmic recitation of the Sundarkand Path, H.H. Shri Swami Vishveshwaranandaji performed Arati for Lord Omkarananda-Hanuman.

Devotees have assembled in front of the Omkarananda-Hanuman Mandir to take part in the Arati.

The Omkarananda-Hanuman Mandir is glowing and shining with the beautiful light rays of the morning sun. From left to right: A photo of His Divinity Shri Paramahamsa Omkarananda Saraswati, the cute and blessing Lord Omkarananda-Hanumanji and a picture of Lord Shiva.

Gurukul students of the Omkarananda Gayatri Ved Vidyalaya receive Hanuman Prasad from the holy hands of Shri Swami Vishveshwarananda Saraswati.

After the several hours long Puja with Sundarkand Path, Arati, Pushpanjali and Prasad Distribution, at the Omkarananda-Hanuman Mandir, was completed, a nice hot tomato-soup was distributed to all devotees and the Vedic students. Because of the extremely cold winter weather, prevailing this year and giving a lot of trouble to people all over North India, this hot soup was very much welcomed by all.

The Omkarananda Jayanti Celebration, in Honour of Paramahamsa Omkarananda Saraswati, continued in the beautiful Auditorium, "Omkarananda Saraswati Natya Kala Academy", opposite the Omkarananda-Kamakshi-Devi Temple. Shri Swami Paramananda, the Master of Ceremonies, guided through the whole program, but first he introduced to the audience the incomparable Sage, Mystic, Genius, Philosopher and Writer, His Divinity Shri Paramahamsa Omkarananda Saraswati, Who appeared on earth on 25th December.

By the Grace of Sadgurudev Shri Paramahamsa Omkarananda Saraswatiji and His Successor, Mahant Shri Swami Vishveshwaranandaji, Omkarananda Ashram Himalayas has granted to Vedic students and some of their teachers, since the last more than 8 years a heavenly place, directly at the Ganga, for undisturbed Vedic teaching and studies, free of cost. Round the year, about 35 students live there and get an excellent Vedic Education in the ancient Gurukul system.
Some younger Vedic students from a new batch of the beautiful Gurukul, Omkarananda Gayatri Ved Vidyalaya, blessed the whole environment with their skillful and brilliant recitation of the "Purusha Sooktam", in the North Indian Shukla Yajurveda Style. The new Vedic students of the Omkarananda Gayatri Ved Vidyalaya impressed everybody with their very clear, exact and confident pronunciation and their different elegant hand gestures and wrist movements, which were executed by them simultaneously, in total unison.
These hand gestures and wrist movements are a typical feature of the North Indian Shukla Yajurveda Style, in contrast to the South Indian Krishna Yajurveda Style. Both Styles are equally divine and beautiful, but the North Indian Shukla Yajurveda Style is more difficult to learn and to execute, because it has to be accompanied by various hand gestures and wrist movements, according to the rhythm and swaras (musical notes) of the different Vedic Hymns. It is a very interesting and demanding way of Vedic Recitation and requires a lot of concentration from the side of the Vedic students. This beautiful and divine Style definitely deserves to be preserved, and Omkarananda Ashram Himalayas is also selflessly contributing to it.

View from the upper part of the grand Auditorium
"Omkarananda Saraswati Natya Kala Academy".

After their extraordinary divine Recitation, the students of the Omkarananda Gayatri Ved Vidyalaya are rewarded with gifts and Dakshina by Mahamandaleshwar Shri 1008 Swami Vishnu Chaitanya Teerthji Maharaj.

Mahamandaleshwar Shri 1008 Swami Vishnu Chaitanya Teerthji Maharaj, from Delhi, expressed his admiration for Sadgurudev Shri Paramahamsa Omkarananda Saraswatiji's immense contribution to Spirituality and Education in the Garhwal Himalayas, in form of 18 beautiful Temples and about 50 Educational Institutions, including the Vedic Gurukul. Swamiji also thanked the President of Omkarananda Ashram Himalayas, Mahant Shri Swami Vishveshwarananda Saraswati, for giving him the opportunity to be present during the holy Celebrations of Omkarananda Jayanti.

One of the highlights of the programs during Omkarananda Jayanti was the beautiful and melodious rendering of a Garhwali Bhajan, a devotional song in the local Himalayan language "Garhwali", in Honour of Sadgurudev Shri Paramahamsa Omkarananda Saraswati.
The popular Singer, Shri Ramesh Uniyal, preceded his song with the beautiful Sanskrit Shloka from the Guru-Gita,
"Dhyaana-Moolam Guror-Moortih,
Poojaa-Moolam Guroh Padam;
Mantra-Moolam Guror-Vaakyam,
Moksha-Moolam Guroh Kripaa."
("The Source of Meditation is the visible Form of the Guru. The Source of Worship are the Feet of the Guru. The Source of Mantra is the Speech of the Guru. The Source of Final Liberation is the Grace of the Guru.")
Thereafter Ramesh Uniyalji described the Glories of Sadgurudev Shri Paramahamsa Omkarananda Saraswati
in the lilting tunes of his beautiful Garhwali song.
He described him as a "Prema-Avataara" (a God-Incarnation, characterized by selfless, supreme Divine Love) and as a "Sampoorna Avataara" (an Incarnation of God, which is complete, perfect and unsurpassable in each and every aspect). The singer further mentioned in his song, that Gurudev Paramahamsa Omkarananda Saraswati got Sannyasa Diksha from Shri Swami Sivananda Saraswati at the young age of 17, and that H.H. Sri Swami Sivananda Saraswati lovingly honoured Swami Omkarananda with several titles, like "Bala-Yogi" ("Boy-Yogi"), "Bala-Jnani" ("Boy-Sage"), "Adhyatma-Kavita-Bhaskara"
("Sun of Spiritual Poetry") and so on.
Shri Ramesh Uniyal also mentioned a few lines in his song about the three direct Sannyasi Disciples of His Divinity Shri Paramahamsa Omkarananda Saraswati in India, namely His Successor, Mahant Shri Swami Vishveshwarananda Saraswati, who got the prestigious Award "Pride of Uttarakhand" among many other Awards, who is a selfless, ideal, highly divine and extremely hard-working Karma Yogi, and who has established by His Gurudev's Grace so many Basic and Higher Educational Institutions, benefitting countless of children in the Garhwal Himalayas, starting from Rishikesh to Deoprayag, up to very far and interior regions of the Himalayas.
Then the singer sang about Kumari Somashekhari, who got the titles "Guru-Bhakti-Ratna" and "Kalaa-Nidhi" from her Sadgurudev Shri Paramahamsa Omkarananda Saraswati, who looks after the beautiful Temples and Temple-Services in Omkarananda Ashram Himalayas, and other Ashram Management works, and simultaneously tries to merge with the Absolute, the Paramatman, through her Sadhana of Indian Classical Dance and Music.
Finally Ramesh Uniyal praised in his song Shri Swami Satchidananda Saraswati, who distinguishes himself through his hard work, mainly in practical day to day matters, like Ashram maintenance, construction, account matters and general administration works.
All these above mentioned things Shri Ramesh Uniyal had composed by himself and conveyed through his beautiful song.

Shri Ramesh Uniyal received a lot of applause from the audience for his marvellous song, and he was felicitated with flowers and gifts by Shri Pradeep Vaid (left) and the Principal of Omkarananda Saraswati Nilayam Inter-College (OSN), Shri Rajiv Rautela (middle).

Shrimati Vandana Vaid rewarded the musicians, who had accompanied the singer, Shri Ramesh Uniyal, with gifts.

One of the most revered Senior Educationists of Rishikesh and the President of Omkarananda Saraswati Nilayam Inter-College (OSN) Management Committee, expressed his more than three decades long experiences with Omkarananda Ashram Himalayas. He was full of praise for the immense, continuous dedication since the last four decades by the 3 direct Sannyasi Disciples of Sadgurudev Shri Paramahamsa Omkarananda Saraswati, to the great divine Mission of their Sadgurudev, namely the Successor of Paramahamsa Omkarananda Saraswati and Ashram President, Mahant Shri Swami Vishveshwarananda Saraswati, who works day and night for the benefit of all, and that with great kindness, having always a smile on his face, the Ashram General Secretary, Kumari Somashekhari, who is an Artist and Scholar, having knowledge of several languages, including the ancient and highly divine languages, like Sanskrit and Tamil, and the Ashram Treasurer, Shri Swami Satchidananda, who efficiently works behind the scenes.

After Shri I.D. Joshiji's speech some important Senior Citizens from Rishikesh came to the stage to honour Shri Swami Vishveshwaranandaji (extreme right) and Shri Swami Satchidanandaji (standing next to Swami Vishveshwarananda) with flower Malas. Thereafter the President of the Senior Citizens read out a citation in praise of H.H. Shri Swami Vishveshwarananda Saraswati.

The Chief-Guest of the Omkarananda Jayanti Celebration was a great, holy and loyal friend of Omkarananda Ashram Himalayas, the President of Karttikeya Ashram Rishikesh, H.H. Shri Swami Sundarananda Saraswati, who is a Vedic Scholar and a Kathavachak Acharya. In his Chief-Guest Address he expressed his honest and deep admiration for the selfless Mission of His Divinity Shri Paramahamsa Omkarananda Saraswati and His direct Sannyasi Disciples, especially in the neglected Himalayan Garhwal region. Shri Swami Sundarananda emphasized again and again the importance of the divine works of Omkarananda Ashram Himalayas in the field of Education, Culture and Spirituality, since unfortunately the Himalayan area, including the holy Ganga, is now more and more exploited commercially for business and purely worldly enjoyments, which is destroying the holy vibrations of the Himalayas. Swami Sundarananda said, that Omkarananda Ashram Himalayas is like a divine island, where the sanctity and purity of the original divine Vedic Culture is preserved to the Core, protected and nurtured, which shows the spirit of sacrifice and real, deep love and understanding for Divine Values from the side of Shri Swami Vishveshwarananda, Kumari Somashekhari and Shri Swami Satchidananda.

The audience listens carefully to Swamiji's words.

Shri Swami Vishveshwarananda Saraswati thanked Shri Swami Sundarananda Saraswati for his wonderful words and honoured him with flower-bouquet, gifts and Dakshina.

H.H. Shri Swami Vishveshwarananda blessed the audience with his divine and charismatic personality and his holy speech, where he again and again emphasized, that nothing in life is more important than the Divine, God, the Supreme Truth. Therefore, while executing one's works or profession to one's fullest capacity, one should still, at the same time, ALWAYS PUT GOD FIRST ! Swamiji also cited some inspiring divine Sayings of his beloved Sadgurudev Shri Paramahamsa Omkarananda Saraswati.

Mahant Shri Swami Vishveshwarananda did not forget to thank each and everyone, who contributed to the Celebration of Omkarananda Jayanti.

Swamiji called two persons on the stage, who had distinguished themselves by their hard works in their special fields. Here one can see Shri Swami Vishveshwarananda honouring the Principal of Omkarananda Saraswati Nilayam Inter-College (OSN), Shri Rajiv Singh Rautela, with flower-bouquet and shawl.

Swami Vishveshwaranandaji specially thanked Shri Pradeep Vaid for his dynamic and extremely helpful services for Omkarananda Ashram Himalayas.

Swami Vishveshwarananda also specially thanked Dr. Anupam Vaid, an important Omkarananda Ashram Trustee, for his continuous and immensely praiseworthy works for the benefit of Omkarananda Ashram Himalayas and its many Institutions.

Finally Mahant Shri Swami Vishveshwaranandaji thanked and honoured a new Member of Omkarananda Ashram Himalayas, Shri Bakul Rajput, for his selfless services.

As a surprise and grateful gesture for their love, affection and gratitude towards the President of Omkarananda Ashram Himalayas, Mahant Shri Swami Vishveshwarananda Saraswati, Omkarananda Ashram Trustee, Dr. Anupam Vaid (left), Master of Ceremonies, Shri Swami Paramananda (next to Swamiji) and the Chief-Priest of Omkarananda Ashram Himalayas, Shri Suresh Joshi, honoured Swami Vishveshwarananda with a beautiful fragrant Mala and a warm shawl.

After being honoured, Shri Swami Vishveshwarananda told everybody present, that all the praises he got, belong to His beloved Sadgurudev Shri Paramahamsa Omkarananda Saraswati, the born Sage, Mystic, Genius, Philosopher and Writer, thanks to Whom Omkarananda Ashram Himalayas and its many Institutions and Temples are blooming and benefitting thousands of Students and spiritual Seekers. Swamiji's kind words and humble attitude were very much appreciated by the audience.

The wonderful program for the Omkarananda Jayanti Celebrations was concluded with the Omkarananda Arati by Shri Swami Vishveshwaranandaji and other Saints.

Pancha Arati for Gurudev by Shri Swami Vishveshwarananda Saraswati and the Chief-Priest, Suresh Joshi.

Pushpanjali (offering of flowers) to Paramahamsa Omkarananda Saraswati by Mahant Shri Swami Vishveshwarananda Saraswati and other Sannyasis.

Opposite Omkarananda-Kamakshi-Devi Mandir, Devotees and Omkarananda Ashram Staff could enjoy a wonderful Bhandara in form of lunch.

Some of the Vedic Students of Omkarananda Gayatri Ved Vidyalaya are having their well deserved Prasadam.

The small Auditorium of Omkarananda Ashram Himalayas, Omkarananda Vidya Bhawan,
which is extremely beautiful and divine, was used during the Omkarananda Jayanti Celebration as a Bhandara Place for Saints, important Ashramites and VIP Guests, who consisted mainly of Educationists.

Saints and important Devotees are served a highly pure and hygienic lunch in Omkarananda Vidya Bhawan.