Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji gives us His sacred blessings at this auspicious time. He reminds us that traditionally the Hindu New Year is actually celebrated on Chaitra Shukla Pratipada (March/April) when Lord Brahmaji created the world.

But at this auspicious time of moving from 2023 to 2024 during which the sacred Sri Ram Mandir in Ayodhya will open, Pujya Swamiji urges us all to take the lessons, messages and model of Bhagawan Rama’s life into our own.

As we prepare to celebrate New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day Pujya Swamiji reminds us to celebrate with spiritual divine connection, with meditation, with introspection, rather than with alcohol and noise. We should celebrate “Not with wine but with the Divine! Not just by connecting to Wifi but by asking ourselves ‘Why I?’ Why am I here? What is my purpose?”

Pujya Swamiji also emphasizes the importance of taking care of our natural environment, appeciating the great work being done through the Mission Life Programme by the Government of India and urging everyone to make environmental protection their own mission. He leads us in a collective pledge to plant more trees, to stop use of single use plastic and to work at least one day a week for the environment.