Bakrol    Vasant Panchmi in Dharampur    Joshipura

Having returned to Maninagardham on Tuesday night, after a 10 week tour of East Africa, Acharya Swamishree Maharaj immediately commenced His vicharan throughout the villages of Gujarat.

On Thursday 11 February, He travelled to Bakrol, where a procession was held to welcome Him to the village. Disciples of this region took the opportunity to have scripture recitals performed on their behalf.

The next day, Maha Sud 5, was the day celebrated throughout India as the official start of the spring season – Vasant Panchmi. This is also the auspicious day that the supreme Lord Shree Swaminarayan chose for the inauguration of His sacred book of holy commandments, the Shikshapatri.

This year, the 190th Shikshapatri Jayanti was celebrated in Shree Swaminarayan Mandir Dharampur. The patotsav of this Mandir is also observed on the same day. Acharya Swamishree Maharaj performed the Patotsav ceremony of the Lord, and then a recital of the Shikshapatri was performed by all the Sants and disciples. Poojan to the Shikshapatri was also performed.

The next day, on Saturday 11th February, Acharya Swamishree Maharaj visited the nearby village of Joshipura, to perform the Patotsav ceremony there. He then headed back to Ahmedabad, and reached Maninagar just before Sandhya aarti time.