Sumitra Mahajan, Speaker of the Lok Sabha, Government of India, currently the longest-serving woman member of Lok Sabha, received divine blessings of Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji – Muniji, Pujya Swami Shri Govinda Dev Giri ji Maharaj & Pujya Sadhvi Rithambara – “Didi Maa”ji during her three day stay and visit to Parmarth Niketan (Rishikesh), which coincided with her 75th birthday.
She performed the divine #GangaAarti ceremony both nights of her stay at the ashram. Pujya Swamiji who lead the world-renowned evening ceremony on her birthday announced the plantation of 75 trees in honour of her birthday and encouraged everyone to plant as many trees as the number of birth years or anniversary years we celebrate. Pujya Swamiji shared that this would be our significant and vital contribution towards environmental preservation and protection. Joining the special Ganga Aarti and wishing her on her birthday was Former Chief Minister of Uttarakhand and current MLA of Haridwar Dr.Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishankji, Sadhvi Abha Saraswatiji of Parmarth Niketan and Sumitraji’s childhood friend Sudha Yalavatti.
During the ceremony Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji said, “I am so deeply impressed by the humility, nobility and simplicity of our Hon’ble Speaker. She is truly a Speaker who speaks volumes by her divine example. Her every peaceful, ever smiling face in Lok Sabha or at any phase of her life is a testament to how we can live and be Yoga.”
He added, “She is often seen as a Mother to the Nation. However, today I think we need her leadership and her powerful presence to also be a Mother for all of Nature. By coming to our Himalayan state, which is the origin of the sacred National River Ganga, she has shown the crucial importance of protecting our sacred river bodies and pilgrimage sites situated in nature. Its time that all faith leaders, political leaders, parliamentarians and every citizen work together, hand in hand and heart in heart, to ensure a Clean and Green India, Clean and Green Ganga for all.”
On her birthday, she also attended and was blessed by Pujya Swami Govind Giriji during his divine Shrimad Bhagawat Katha taking place at Parmarth Niketan and as well as a special visit by Pujya Sadhvi Rithambaraji and birthday wishes from Speaker of Uttarakhand and MLA of Rishikesh Prem Chand Aggarwal during the Katha. The Katha is being dedicated, with Pujya Swamiji’s divine vision and blessings, to support the Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation’s schools and spread the message of “Siksha Aur Sanskaras” (Education & Human Values) being imparted to our children simultaneously.
Sumitra Mahajanji expressed that her birthday celebrations were truly memorable and divine. She said that it was not only a one evening or night celebration but rather the whole day and every moment was a celebration, revealing ways that she was able to be of greater service and inspiration to others. She expressed her gratitude to Pujya Swamiji for having invited her to experience some of the most beautiful moments of her life.
She was blessed by Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji with a sacred Rudraksha sapling and she in turn symbolically offered 75 Rudraksha plants to the young Parmarth Gurukul students to be planted by them in the upcoming monsoon season.
She also was blessed with a beautiful fresh and fragrant flower mala from Pujya Swamiji, welcoming her home, and discussed with him various service initiatives and interfaith harmony initiatives thriving under the Global Interfaith WASH Alliance and it’s sister organisations.
She shared that coming to Rishikesh was not a new occurrence and that many years ago she would come to Swargashram but that in the past few years she had been so busy and unable to visit the holy banks of Mother Ganga. Hence, when she met Pujya Swamiji at the Ministry of AYUSH organised Yoga Festival in Talkatora Stadium in Delhi recently and when he cordially invited her to come home to Rishikesh she agreed. Coincidently the 12th April also being her 75th birthday, she did not want to celebrate it but being quietly, peacefully and simply on the banks of Maa Ganga was her only desire. She also expressed and shared that she hopes that more visits will ensue in the near future.