77th Birthday Celebrations of Pujya Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji
77th Birthday Celebrations of Pujya Sri Swamiji
21st Anniversary of Nada Mantapa
20th Brahmotsava of Sri Datta Venkateswara Kshetram
The 77th Birthday celebrations of Parama Pujya Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji, the 20th Brahmotsavams of Sri Datta Venkateswara Kshetram, the 21st anniversary of Nada Mantapa were celebrated with great jubilation & reverence from the 19th May to 26th May 2019.
Preceding the celebrations, annual Veda exams were held at Datta Peetham from the 12th to 16th May 2019. Over 400 students from many Veda Pathashalas in India took part in the Rig Veda, Yajur Veda, Sama Veda & Atharva Veda. 34 erudite Veda scholars were the examiners. Pujya Sri Swamiji graced the conclusion program the examinations. Shri. Sanjay Singhal of Singhal Foundation, Udaipur.
On 18th morning, Sri Swamiji flagged off the Brahmothsava Prachara Ratham. This motorized float would travel across Mysuru city announcing the week long programs.
In the evening, Vid.Popuri Gowrinath, well known singer from Vijayawada sang self composed Kritis on the theme - Srinivasa Kalyanam. His wife Gayatri & daughter Smt. Pallavi
On the evening of 19th May 2019, Sri Datta Venkateswara Swami was brought in a procession from the temple to Nada Mantapam. The Vaikhanasa Agama priests led by Vid.Narayanacharya commenced Vishwaksena Puja and other rituals of Brahmotsavams. Pujya Sri Swamiji lit the inaugural lamp of the festival. The priests tied the sacred thread “Raksha Bandhana” on Pujya Sri Swamiji’s right wrist.
Vid.Ambi Subramaniam, acclaimed rising violinist & Vid.Mahesh Raghavan, who heralded Carnatic music playing on iPad presented their debut Bhajan album to Pujya Sri Swamiji for it’s release. Titled “Bhajans revisited” the album has ten Bhajans of Pujya Sri Swamiji in their delightful interpretation of violin & iPad music. Two of these Bhajans they made a music video and published on their popular youtube channel - Tayirsaadam.
At 7 PM, Dr.Subramaniam accompanied by his grand daughter - ***.Mahati played on violins. This was first ever violin concert of ***.Mahati and Dr.Subramaniam was keen that she performs first concert in the presence of Pujya Sri Swamiji. Dr.L.Subramaniam’s son, Ambi joined the group on stage for the violin trio by three generations of amazing violinists.
On 20th May - Monday morning, Sri Swamiji visited Datta Venkateswara temple and witnessed the hoisting of Brahmotsva Dhwajam on the temple flag post.
In the evening, Vid.Shivashankara Swamy of Mysuru offered - “Laya Lahari “ - a rhythm instruments based Bhajans program. His concert was planned as a journey from Pujya Sri Swamiji’s first Bhajan - Pahi Pahi Gajanana thru to the latest 2019 Yugadi Bhajan. The chosen songs for the day reflected different eras of Pujya Sri Swamiji’s Bhajans from 1960s thru to 2019. Sri Swamiji surprised everyone by staying on stage and singing the opening lines of Pahi Pahi Gajanana.
On 21st May Tuesday - Sri Bala Swamiji performed Sri Chakra Puja in the Asthana Mantapa of Sri Datta Venkateswara Kshetram. Pujya Sri Swamiji went to the Kshetram and took Darshana of the deities and offered Purnahuti of Brahmotsava Homas.
In the evening, two young sisters from Ahmednagar - ***. Anjali Gaikwad and ***.Nandini Gaikwad who mesmerized the audience with their young voice and scholarly rendition.
On 22nd May Wednesday, Pujya Sri Swamiji offered Puja to Sachchidananda Ganapathy in Sri Datta Venkateswara KShetram which was decorated with Modakas as today was Sankashta Chauti day.
In the evening, Smt.Anasuya Kulkarni - world’s only Anklung instrument player on Carnatic music offered a concert with her nine of her students playing the traditional Indonesian bamboo instrument. She played several Bhajans of Sri Swamiji and won appreciation from the audience.
On Thursday 23rd May, 100 new students who had memorized the whole Bhagavad Gita Shlokas and had passed the stringent Gita examinations held at Ashrama were blessed by Pujya Sri Swamiji with certificates. Those who passed in distinction were given gold medals. The 100 students chanted the all the Shlokas in the 18 chapters of Bhagavad Gita. Pujya Sri Swamiji and Sri Bala Swamiji sat on the stage and listened to the whole recitation.
In the evening, the planned Teppotsavam was cancelled due to rains.
On Friday 24th April, Pujya Sri Swamiji participated in the whole Chakra Snanam ritual of Sri Datta Venkateswara Swami’s procession idols which took place at Saptarshi Sarovara pond. Later, Abhishekam to the main idol of Venkateswara Swami took place in the temple. Pujya Swamiji performed Maha Purnahuti of Brahmotsava Homas and performed Archana and Maha Mangalarati of the Venkateswara Swami. Sri Swamiji blessed devotees with Prasadam.
In the evening a rhythm based concert - “Laya Taranga” was offered by Vid.Giridhar Udupa - a Ghatam artist from Bengaluru. Vid.Siddhartha Belmannu om vocals, Vid.Ravichandra Kulur on flute, Vid. Karthik Mysuru on Violin, Vid Arun Kumar on drums, Vid.Pramath Kiran on Afro & Latin percussions, Vid.Brathuva Caleb on Bass, Vid.Vivek Santosh & Vid.Varun Pradeep on keyboards, Vid.Anirudh Bhat on Mridangam, Vid.Karthik Krishna and Vid.Roopak Kallurkar on Tabalas together produced a spell binding, melodious, heart thumping rhythm based Bhajan program. All were chosen Bhajans of Pujya Sri Swamiji and the audience went ballistic with their thunderous clapping and appreciation. Vid.Karaikudi Mani came during the concert and sat in the front row and gave a sense of fillip to the artists on stage.
On Saturday 25th May, Sri Chakra Puja was performed by Pujya Bala Swamiji in Nada Mantapa.
Sri Swamiji arrived in Nada Mantapa at 10 AM after completing the annual Volunteer parade in front of universal prayer hall.
Sri Swamiji released the Telugu book - Sookti Manjari - part 3 containing writings of Pujya Sri Swamiji in Bhakti Mala titled under the same name.
Sri Swamiji launched the poster for the upcoming Hanmunch Chalisa Parayana program at NTR Grounds, Hyderabad on 19 October 2019.
The annual conference of Gnana Bodha Sabhas and Datta Yoga Centers was held. Ashramas, Trusts, Paduka Kshetras established by Sri Swamiji came and offered their annual accounts to Pujya Sri Swamiji and explained their activities of previous years and proposed programs for upcoming year.
In His message, Pujya Sri Swamiji urged everyone to learn Kannada as they would greatly benefit from the speeches of Pujya Sri Swamiji in Mysuru.
In the afternoon annual Bhajan competition was held in Universal Prayer Hall.
In the evening Pujya Sri Swamiji gave the equipment to 162 under privileged and handicapped people with disabilities:
Later Pujya Sri Swamiji was offered the “Paul Harris fellow by Rotary International. The certificate & pin was offered by Smt. Prema & Sri.Don Ganguly from USA along with Rotarians from Mysuru.
Next was the annual program of Chaitanya Archana - honoring scholars - was held in Nada Mantapa
The honorees were -
Veda Nidhi –Sri Gullapalli Seetharamachandra Ghanapathi (Yajurveda)
Shastra Nidhi –Sri.Devadatta Patil, Goa
Nada Nidhi –Vid. Kariaikudi R Mani, Chennai (Mridanga)
Asthana Vidwan –Vid. Abhishek Raghuram, Chennai (Carnatic Vocal)
Asthana Vidwan –Vid. Giridhar Udupa, Bengaluru (Ghatam)
Datta Peetha Bandhu – Sri. Kalyan Das, Hyderabad
Datta Peetha Bandhu: Burra Bhaskar Dutt, Hyderabad
Sasya Bandhu - Smt. Jyoti N Parekh, Mumbai
Jayalakshmi Puraskar - Smt.Pushpa Iyengar, Mysuru
Prani Bandhu - Dr.H.Subash, Mysuru
Datta Peetha Asthana Vidwan - Dr.Sanatkumar Acharya, Mattur
Vid.Karaikudi Mani and others spoke on the occasion and thanked Pujya Sri Swamiji for this unique benediction and honor on them.
The dignitaries on stage offered a special plaque to Sri Swamiji - congratulating the 400,000 downloads of SGSPost app.
26th May 2019 - 77th Birthday of Pujya Sri Swamiji
At 6.30 AM, Pujya Sri Swamiji, Sri Bala Swamiji and Sri Krishna Kumar Malani laid the first marble stone for the construction of marble temple around the three Hanuman shrines in Ashrama. The Jaisalmer yellow marble stone construction will take about a year to complete.
Sri Bala Swamiji performed Sri Chakra Puja in Nada Mantapa.
Pujya Sri Swamiji was brought on a Arasalu sweet laden path from Datta temple to prayer hall entrance. There, Sri Swamiji rode a motorized horse cart. The procession was led by hundreds of costume wearing devotees representing characters from Hari Vamsham stories recently discoursed by Pujya Sri Swamiji.
At the Nada Mantapa entrance, Sri Bala Swamiji received Pujya Sri Swamiji. Nada Mantapa and the stage were decorated with flowers from a team of specialist flower decorators from Padubidri town near Udupi.
Pujya Sri Swamiji offered Purnahuti of Ayushya Homa.
Later, Sri Swamiji ascended the Audumbara Swarna Simhasana. Sri Datta Vijayananda Teertha Swamiji performed Pratyaksha Pada Puja to our most revered Gurudeva, His Holiness Sri Sri Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji on His 77th birthday. Thousands of devotees packed in the sprawling Nada Mantapa feasted their eyes on the once a year spiritual program. Sri Bala Swamiji worshipped Pujya Sri Swamiji with 77 varieties of flowers representing the 77th birthday of Pujya Sri Swamiji.
Sri KK Malani offered the photo of the Vajrotsava Kuteera Malika, an accommodation complex for Ashrama staff. Sri Swamiji thus inaugurated the building complex. The first key of the cottage was given to Vid.Santosh Ghanapathi of SGS Veda Pathashala.
The winners of annual Bhajan competition were given trophies by Pujya Sri Swamiji who named it in honor of late Swami Mansa Datta who did yeoman service in the spread of Nama Sankeertana movement of Pujya Sri Swamiji. The winners of this year’s competition were:
SENIOR CATEGORY
1ST PRIZE, SRIVALLI, MYS
2ND PRIZE SANTOSH, PALAKOL
3RD PRIZE, NARAYANI CHENNAI
JUNIORS CATEGORY
1ST PRIZE JAYALAKSHMI PAMIDI
2ND PRIZE ,SANJEEVA DATTA CHENNAI
3RD PRIZE SHREYA DATTA MYSORE
SUB JUNIORS CATEGORY
1PRIZE , PURUHUTHIKA, HYD
2ND PRIZE VEDIKA , MYS
3RD PRIZE GNANADATTA PAMIDI
Thousands of devotees took Darshana of Sri Swamiji and received His Blessings. They were given sweet Ladoo as Prasadam.
In the evening, Pujya Sri Swamiji sang glorious Bhajans and played happy tune - much to the delight of volunteers who danced to the tune.
Earlier, Sri Swamiji blessed several fifth generation devotees with a special locket.
Pujya Sri Swamiji released the second edition of the Telugu book containing Pujya Sri Swamiji’s discourse on Aditya Hridayam. It was compiled by Datta Peetha Asthana Vidwan. Rani Subbayya Dikishitulu.
Pujya Sri Swamiji released the Kannada & Telugu book - Rigveda Ghana Sukta Manjari - a compendium of important Rig Veda Suktas useful for Ghana Parayana. The book was complied by Vid.Santosh Ghanapathi, Rigveda teacher in SGS Veda Pathashala, Mysuru.
He also offered to Pujya Sri Swamiji a video short showcasing the Pancha Tattva & Guru Darshana which encapsulated the five principles of earth, water, air, ether and fire and Pujya Sri Swamiji’s connection with them.
With this the glorious eight days of programs concluded.
