9th January, 2017 – Pune to Jambut.
6,000 people at Pune Public Program
The main Pune Public Program was held on the last night of our Pratishthan stay. A sports field close to the centre of town was selected. A large area cordoned off and six thousand chairs were assembled. It was another vast space. When we arrived for the sound check to a sea of open space and empty chairs it was hard to imagine how so many people could come and fill the venue. Once the checks were done, and the program commenced standing up and looking back, 6,000 people had assembled with many standing up at the rear of the venue.
From Jaipur, Gwalior, Indore, Dhar, Chhindwara and Pune the combination of foreign Sahaja Yogis presenting Indian music at pubic programs like in the old days of the Tour attracting many locals to the program. Sahaja Yoga instruction was provided by Swapnil our local India Yuva coordinator for spreading Sahaja Yoga, interspersed with music and encouragement by the musicians. Pune is a music and dance loving city, so following Self Realization, there was much joy and dancing, particularly from the local collective revelling in the success of the program with so many seekers attending.
Jambut – a Sahaja community aid project
Eight years ago, a Sahaja community aid project was commenced to help build a school in Jambut with the aim of providing rural children with the liberating opportunities of education and Sahaj instruction. With the generous support of the collective, seven classrooms have been completed, which is about half way to completion. The aim is to also add a Temple to Shri Mataji on the school grounds. With the tour coming to India, the desire was there to include an overnight visit and host an official opening of the school and to invite the family to dedicate the school in Shri Mataji’s name. This had all come to pass and on the morning of Jan 9th, the buses departed Pratistan for the three hour journey to Jambut.
The Deccan plains in the area are rocky, barren, brown expanses of dry land. The road to Jambut branches off the highway and starts to wind its way from the high ground down into a huge valley and canyon complex which has been carved out of the mountains by the huge river complex. A bend in the road gives the first view down the valley. It is an oasis of lush patchwork of lush green fields of onions, pomegranates, corn, potatoes, sugar cane and coconut groves. Where there is abundant water there is life. This valley is full of vibrant life, fields and the simple homes of the village of Jambut.
Children lining the road offering flower and beaming smiles
Leading into the valley, we were stopped along the way by groups of children lining the road offering flower and beaming smiles. Simple village people also came to greet us wearing their finest clothes and eager to offer welcome. One could feel the keen attention and the importance of the occasion to the whole valley, everywhere beaming smiles, open honest faces and the noble demeanor of the good people of rural India living by dharma and the values of deep and ancient culture of Mahasratra.
The Tour has travelled through five states, we touched the earth of this sacred land in so many places and in different aspects. Deep has been our association with India, yet as we are immersed in the rural land of Maharashtra, we come to realize while we have touched India, India has touched us much more deeply and in a more profound sense. Immersed intimately with this land, we are changed and our attention is more settled, introspective and naturally dwelling upon the inner realm of the spirit, less involved with the mundane concerns of daily life.
There were groups of elders from the village dancing in a tight circle with small local version of a simple hand held chintah swung as movement to the rhythm of trumpet and Dholak. Sweets offered, flower petals sprinkled on the heads of foreigners, crowds were large and everywhere a sense of goodwill and auspiciousness.
Sahaja procession to welcome Shri Mataji to the opening of Her school.
We arrived to the classic India Tour arrangement of sleeping pendal separated in the middle by a long white sheet for men and ladies, adjacent there was the dining pendal, outside cooking areas and amenities. Bags deposited, a quick lunch of food grown in the valley and a Sahaja procession to welcome Shri Mataji to the opening of Her school. All the foreign men were adorned with bright orange Turbans in celebration of the occasion and escorted into the grounds of Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi Jambut High School. Foreigners have seated in red lounges as VIPs. Crowds of men were seated on the earth in their whites with white cap to Shri Mataji’s right and the ladies in their saris to the left. All patiently waiting for the program to commence.
8,000 to 10,000 had come to celebrate the opening of the Jambut school and to attend the public program.
Felicitation are important aspect of occasions like this as local dignitaries are welcomed and local yogis who played key supporting roles. Many speeches, garlands and thanks offered. For a small rural village of 1300 people yet close to 8,000 to 10,000 had travelled from around 30 villages up and down the valley. It was a stunning scene as the orange light of the setting sun shone upon this great assembly who had come to celebrate the opening of the school and to attend the public program.
There were beautiful performances from different age groups from the school, bhajans provided by the group and Self Realization from Shri Mataji’s video.
Worship and praise to Our Glorious Mother
From the day’s start, to the end the events, it felt like one long procession of worship and praise to Our Glorious Mother who made the miracle of a group of Australian Yogis connecting with the simple good people to raise a school in the name of Our Mother.
The next day, an incredible Puja was offered
Following the huge event opening the school, the next day an incredible Puja was offered in the courtyard of one of the more substantial homes under the shade of a huge Neem tree overlooking a river. The sincerity, simplicity and inherent nobility of the villagers made then Puja offering even more moving with the simple and honest depth of their devotion. The vibrations were incredible, the feelings move the heart in such a unique way. You feel so grounded here, so at one with Nature and Our Mother. We were all so touched and left with sad hearts as this was one of the highlights of the Tour.
Celebration offered to Shri Mataji for all the blessings showered onto Jambut
As we left, there was another procession, in this case a victory celebration offered to Shri Mataji for all the blessings showered onto Jambut and for transforming what was an oasis in the barren hills of Maharashtra into a celestial garden of peace, understanding and the simple and purest joys of life, just being totally content and at peace. Being one with yourself and all those around you in the present moment. At this moment, there is no other place in the world we would rather be than at Jambut with the good people of the village and the Yogis.
The villagers lifted Jalindar on their shoulders as they shared their joy and happiness it was quite a scene as he was lifted on shoulders and celebrated. (Jalindar is Head of Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi Jambut School Board who lives in Australia and is from Jambut.)
Jalindar Shete – Head of Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi Jambut School Board
Jai Shri Mataji!
Sincerely, Chris
2016/17 India Tour
One is moved to tears of joy reading about the people of Maharashtra with their simplicity, open hearts, gratitude and desire for a spiritual life. Where deities and great saints once walked, the land today is vibrating ever more strongly with the dancing feet of so many realised souls. Thank you for sharing these beautiful stories so full of hope and light.