On December 17th during the month-long centenary celebrations of His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj, thousands gathered at Pramukh Swami Maharaj Nagar in Ahmedabad to celebrate “Para-Bhakti Day”, marking Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s pure and singular devotion to God. 

The evening assembly began with an address by Pujya Adarshjivandas Swami, a learned swami of BAPS, and the author of the extensive biography of His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj. He reflected on the centrality of devotion in Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s life and his constant communion with God. He said, “Pramukh Swami built over 1,100 Mandirs, wrote over 760,000 letters, visited over 17,000 cities, towns and villages, personally counselled over 810,000 people, and organised thousands of social activities, philanthropic works and festivals. However…his devotion to God always came first.”

Thereafter, Pujya Prabhucharandas Swami, a learned swami of BAPS, said, “In times of honour or insult, difficulty or ease, joy or sorrows victory or defeat, Pramukh Swami Maharaj had never forgotten God. He remained absorbed in God 24 hours a day.”

The following dignitaries were in attendance:

• Sri Sri Sri Tridandi Chinna Srimannarayana Ramanuja Jeeyar Swami Ji, Founder of Jeeyer Intergrated Vedic Academy (JIVA)
• Parshottam Rupala, Union Cabinet Minister
• Sudhir Nanavati, President of Gujarat Law Society University
• Suresh Shelat, Former Advocate-General (Government of Gujarat)
• Dr. J Rameshwar Rao, Founder Chairman of My Home Group (TV9)
• Kalpesh Solanki, Group Managing Editor of Asian Media Group (Garavi Gujarat), UK
• CA Dr. Girish Ahuja, Taxation Expert and Educationalist

Sudhir Nanavati, President of Gujarat Law Society University said, “My experiences and memories with Pramukh Swami Maharaj have truly been divine. The love in his eyes is comparable to the love I saw in my mother’s eyes, while his laughter is so innocent that I can clearly recall his eyes and laughter after all these years. I recall that when I touched his feet 35 years ago, I experienced a divine current that flowed through me the likes of which I have never experienced ever again. I would like to say that while he may not be here today, his love, affection and selfless service is something that is the rarest of the rare.”

Suresh Shelat, Former Advocate-General of the Government of Gujarat said “In 1981, Pramukh Swami had sanctified my home and was waiting for me patiently while I was still on my professional duty in the court. Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s patience was exemplary and he was always available for his devotees. Pramukh Swami Maharaj abided by his teachings ‘in the joy of others lies our own.’”