Mortal remains of head of the Bochasanvasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha, Pramukh Swami Maharaj, were offered to the flames at the Sarangpur Mandir campus last week, in the presence of more than a 1,000 followers. The cremation was held according to Vedic rituals in an open ground on the premises of the temple.
Political leaders who were also present, included BJP President Amit Shah, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu, Kathakar Morari Bapu, senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel, Samajwadi Party MP Amar Singh, businessman Anil Ambani, Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel, state BJP President Jitubhai Vaghani, and state Congress chief Bharatsinh Solanki. Also present was BJP patriarch LK Advani.
Devotees and saints said their final goodbyes with tears amid chants and prayers. The 95 year old who died on August 13, was kept at the temple for his followers. Over 2000,000 people from the Swaminarayan sect came to pay their tributes from all across the globe. The Palkhi Yatra of his body was cancelled last minute due to alterations in his body which was kept under minus 10 degree temperature in a glass container after he passed away.
An emotional Shah, said Swami was always there whenever he felt "broke". "The great saint dedicated his entire life for his cause, but I want to reveal something personal today. In one's life, there are moments when one feels broken. When I went through such times in my life, he would be the first person to call me," Shah said. He added that the spiritual leader had done a lot to institutionalise the saint tradition, getting millions of people to give up addictions. Jaitley praised Pramukh Swami for motivating millions to walk the path of "dharma". He said, "For a very long period, Swami persuaded millions of people across the globe to walk the path of religion and sacrifice. He was having the power to motivate people to work for the betterment of the society. I believe that he is irreplaceable." Veteran politician LK Advani said, "There are very few persons who have managed to spread India's best practices in the world. Pramukh Swami did this through his sect."
Aviation industry hits were it hurts
With devotees flying in from all corners of the world to pay their final respects, fares of planes from the US and the UK to Mumbai and Gujarat in the week, hit a massive surge. Of the 15 chartered flights that landed in Ahmedabad, Rajkot, and Bhavnagar, seven of them reportedly flew in from abroad.
A ticket rate from Texas to anywhere in Gujarat costs somewhere around Rs 70,000 on normal days. However, with followers of Pramukh Swami rushing to get a glimpse of him, the rates skyrocketed. Jaimin Patel paid Rs 400,000 just in airfare to reach Sarangpur. An ardent devotee of Bapa, he did not mind paying the money, and if anything, was relieved he made it in time. Another follower, Chandrakant Brahmbhatt said, "I paid Rs 147,000 for the ticket. But it is double the usual airfare." He added, "All flights from the US were full. People reached Dubai easily, but from there it was really difficult to come to Ahmedabad." A certain Chandrakant Dave paid Rs 400,000 to reach Sarangpur from California. Harish Patel from Houston paid Rs 221,000.
Hillary Clinton offers condolences
Democratic Party candidate for the US presidency, Hillary Clinton spoke on the occasion of Pramukh Swami's death. In a statement released by her office, she said, "Bill and I offer our sincerest condolences to the devotees of his Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj and the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha worldwide. Pramukh Swami didn't just teach virtues, he lived them every day. That's what made him a Guru to millions around the world. From the Akshardham Mandir in New Jersey to the countless temples he blessed in the US, Pramukh Swami built a global faith and community founded on Vedic values. His deep sense of devotion led him to spend his life revitalizing communities in need."
Mahant Swami- BAPS' new spiritual head
Mahant Swami, or Sadhu Keshavjivandas, the new spiritual head of BAPS, said the organisation would continue to walk on the path drawn by Bapa. He said, "The world is now plagued by unrest. Right from personal life to public life, restlessness can be felt. All his life, Pramukh Swami had made it his mission to promote peace in people's lives and families and across the globe. BAPS will continue to strive for the same values and spread the message of peace and harmony in society." He added, "When I had taken diksha, the organisation was very small. Under the guidance of Yogiji Maharaj and Pramukh Swami Maharaj, it has spread across the globe and has promoted Indian culture. It was Pramukh Swami's dream to establish Akshardham at New Jersey and completing it would be my homage to my guru."
BAPS immortalises Bapa
A life-sized statue of Swami has been installed at Akshar Jharokha on the premises of the BAPS Shahibaug temple. Aksharvatsal Swami said the balcony holds a special place in the hearts of satsangis. "When Bapa lived in the temple complex for 11 months from June 2012 to May 2013 while recuperating, he used to come to the balcony to give darshan to devotees when stepping out was not possible. It was named Akshar Jharokha for the same reason."
