The day’s festivities began with a women’s cultural program organized by women for female disciples to showcase their devotion to Lord Shree Swaminarayan and celebrate Prem Murti Acharya Swamishree’s memory. The women’s cultural program, kicking off at 2:00 pm EST, featured several dances from all age groups of women, speeches by different participants, and a video montage explaining what Prem Murti Acharya Swamishree Maharaj meant to the women of Secaucus Temple. Swamibapa hall was filled with female disciples and guests enjoying the cultural program. At the conclusion of the women’s cultural program, disciples celebrated the day by dancing in unison.
Following the women’s event, Prem Murti Acharya Swamishree Maharaj’s 81st Pragatya Jayanti celebrations began in the presence of sants from Maninagardham. Our beloved sants paused their North America vicharan to rejoin Secaucus Temple this weekend for this celebration. Disciples and sants escorted Prem Murti Acharya Swamishree Maharaj from the temple hall to Swamibapa Hall with utsav that rang throughout the temple hallways and filled everyone’s hearts with joy. After Prem Murti Bapa’s palkhi swagat and cake offering, a few speeches were made in remembrance of Acharya Swamishree Maharaj ahead of the youth program.
As part of the youth program, there were various types of performances from all age groups of disciples. There were multiple dance performance from younger boys and a recitation of Prem Murti Bapa’s Chintan na Chamkara. Following up were two Bhakti sangeet performances. The initial performance was of younger boys singing Sauna Vhala Swamishree and the second performance was a chorus style performance of multiple kirtans in memory of Acharya Swamishree Maharaj.
After the youth program, honorary guests were greeted by sants. Among the guests were Hudson County Sheriff Frank Schillari, Secaucus Councilman Robert Constantino, and Hudson County Weights and Measurements Director Frank Alonso. Following the guests welcome, disciples performed Aarti of Prem Murti Acharya Swamishree Maharaj and the proceeded to the temple hall for Sandhya Aarti and niyams. All guests and disciples in attendance were then served freshly prepared mahaprasad and ice cream sundaes to conclude the day’s celebrations.
Acharya Shree Jitendriyapriyadasji Swamiji Maharaj is the current spiritual leader of Maninagar Shree Swaminarayan Gadi Sansthan. He is the heir to Acharya Shree Purushottampriyadasji Swamishree Maharaj, and sixth in the lineage of ascetic Acharyas, which descends directly from Lord Shree Swaminarayan.
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