HOUSTON. Anticipation, Arrival, Happiness unlimited – The AAH moments of an unforgettable centenary birthday event to culminate a greater Chinmaya movement.
Pujya Gurudev’s own glory filled Chinmaya Prabha Houston when the brilliant joy of the Chinmaya Jyoti arrived on the beautiful morning of May 8, 2016, the most auspicious occasion of the centenary Chinmaya Jayanti.
It was a majestic entrance impeccably timed, true to the inimitable style of Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda – a magical coincidence planned by the Master Himself who turned a previous disappointment into a memorable blessing! Gurudev’s Jyoti was initially scheduled to arrive on April 30th. From months before, an eager Chinmaya Houston family had diligently planned and prepared an exquisite welcome for the flaming presence of its beloved Gurudev. Then, when a stormy forecast delayed the Jyoti’s arrival, the disappointed hundreds of devotees, paused, prayed, and waited for an entire week.
The clouds moved away, the skies cleared, and the bright morning sun smiled as Gurudev chose the most appropriate time to enter Chinmaya Prabha – on His 100th birthday! As the traditional Kerala drums announced His arrival, the Chinmaya Jyoti was received with ceremonial kalasas and diyas at the entrance of Sri Saumyakasi Sivalaya and escorted by an energetic group of Chyks into a delightfully decorated courtyard filled with more than a thousand overjoyed Chinmaya family members. Just as Gurudev’s Jyoti entered the courtyard, a gentle sprinkling of raindrops signaled the unmistakable Presence of the Master at Chinmaya Prabha! Those few moments made everyone in the courtyard, both young and old, feel such a divine rapture of indescribable joy. Then one of the Chyks lit up the torch powered by the Jyoti, and as he carried it high, the other Chyks walked along. waving huge saffron flags with Gurudev’s own message to the next generation: “You have hoisted the flag, not me. Now, it is up to you to keep it flying high.”
It felt as if Gurudev was walking tall, surrounded by his energized Chyks, amid all of the devotees gathered there, his eyes catching sight of many hundreds more of smaller saffron flags that hundreds of young Bala Vihar children waved to greet Gurudev. As the Jyoti proceeded toward the Saumyakasi Sivalaya with the Jyoti yatra song sung melodiously by the orchestra children and with the graceful dance of a group of devotees, the fanfare of a matchless 100th birthday of a Mahatma began. Acarya Gaurangbhai spoke about the glory of the Chinmaya name and said that the true way to keep the Chinmaya Jyoti forever glowing could only be with the unending supply of the oil of Knowledge passed onto the maximum as Gurudev wanted. As the celebrations unfurled, young children dressed as a caterpillar danced and demonstrated the spiritual metamorphosis into brilliant butterflies. Then, it was time to pledge ourselves with a poem that Uma Aggrawal had composed, to offer everyone’s gratitude with the promise to Him – “Unto You, Our Best.” The voices of both young and old rang out strong in resolve as Gurudev’s Jyoti entered Sivalaya and from there, with Siva’s blessings, came into Chinmaya Smriti. Truly, everyone could feel the deliberate footsteps of the Master striding purposefully into the space that He had blessed many years ago.
Gurudev’s Jyoti ascended the stage in Chinmaya Smriti amid heartfelt devotional invocation with “Om Sri Chinmaya Sadgurave Namaha.” As the Jyoti glowed centerstage, the whole congregation sang the Chinmayastakam with hearts bowed in great love for Him. In his address to all, Uncle shared a story of the Ram Sevak who came miraculously to serve during Hanuman Mastakabhisekam at Sidhbari. He said that a Guru comes to reveal everyone’s purpose in life and it is that Guru’s Grace who also reveals God, “ Tatpadam darsitam ena tasmai sri gurave namaha.”
No Jayanti of Gurudev’s is complete without Gita. Aptly, the children who won the Gita chanting competition were recognized and blessed by Acarya Darshanaben and Acarya Gaurangbhai during the celebration. The greater credit also went to all the children who had learned the 13th chapter from January 2016 and came to sing the Lord’s Song just the day before – on May 7th, almost as if to declare the coming of the Gitacarya on his 100th birthday.
What followed was a most reverent Paduka Puja when more than a thousand voices chanted the 108 names of Gurudev. As all then sang the special birthday song composed by Pujya Guruji, Gurudev’s hundredth birthday was a resounding triumph. As chanting dissolved into melliflous bhajans at the end of the morning and everyone feasted on a delicious lunch afterward, the message of the thirteenth chapter became manifest – Gurudev had truly arrived at Chinmaya Prabha to celebrate His birthday, enlivening all hands and hearts to work together in that unbroken harmony of His Glory. Hari Om!
For more information, please visit chinmayahouston.org or call Jay Deshmukh at 832-541-0059.