A three day Ganga Gandhi Samanvay Retreat took place at Parmarth Niketan Ashram, on the holy banks of Mother Ganga, in the lap of the Himalayas, in celebration of 150th Birth Anniversary of Ba (Kasturba Gandhiji) and Bapu (Mahatma Gandhiji).
This was the very first time the Samanvay Retreat has happened outside of the Gandhi Ashram and the first of its kind on the banks of Maa Ganga. Traditionally, the retreat takes place multiple times a year at the Sabarmati Ashram in Gujarat in conjunction with the Environmental Science Institute, Sughad and the Safai Vidyalaya, founded by Mahatma Gandhiji in 1932. It seeks to bring service oriented youth and professionals from the development sector together, to establish harmony between the head, heart and hand.
As Mahatma Gandhiji said so beautifully, “Happiness is when what you think, what you say and what you do are in harmony.”
The mornings began at sunrise with a soul stirring Prabhat Peri, followed by sharing circles, meditation, prayer, introspection, reflection, service, hands on activities, and Parmarth’s world famous Ganga Aarti and Satsang. A core part of the Retreat was the practice of silence with a special Dinner spent in silence and walks in silence. Most of the retreat took place in the sacred space of Pujya MM Swami Shukdevanandji’s Kutir just behind the Yoga Hall where the Founder of Parmarth Niketan meditated and performed penance for many years at the base of the Rajaji National Park.
Jayeshbhai Patel, President Harijan Sevak Sangh, Gujarat, and Head of the Sabarmati Ashram, personally joined and led much of the retreat. Special interactions and Satsang with HH Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji, President of Parmarth Niketan, and Dr Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswatiji, Secretary General of GIWA, President, HSS, brought a depth and richness to the experience, as they shared the wisdom of the sages and the teachings of the sacred Himalayas. A special visit by Ven Bhikku Sanghasenaji from the Buddhist tradition, added a unique interfaith element, emphasising that truth is one but comes in many forms.
The participants felt the deep bliss of being on the banks of Mother Ganga as Her waters washed inside and outside. They reflected and nourished the values of maitri, compassion, truth, non-violence and humility, and discussed how they could bring the teachings of Gandhiji with the touch of Ganga into their own lives.
Ganga Nandini, Vice President of Harijan Sevak Sangh, Uttarakhand, was appreciated deeply for being the force behind organising and cultivating the space for this retreat to manifest, working together with Kishan, Diken and other volunteers from the Gandhi Ashram. Gandhian leaders and youth joined from across the country to participate in this unique and special gathering, which will now be an annual feature of the Parmarth Calendar.