Thanksgiving Week Celebrations, 2005,
Sadhu Vaswani Center , New Jersey , USA

For the second consecutive year, the New Jersey Center celebrated Thanksgiving with kathas, mantras, satsang and sevas for all the 7 days starting Friday, February 18. The Center's goals were two-fold: The primary purpose each year is to rejoice the new life granted to our dear Dadal on February 18, 1998 . We also take the opportunity to thank God for His never-ending mercies, and to pray for His continued blessings of the community. The second goal we set was to double our week's attendance of satsangis from last year's total of 650. This goal is in line with Dada's oft-repeated desire to see people come to satsang more and more, for that, he says, is surely the fastest way to God. The final attendance of approximately 1,150 for the week came very close to our goal.

The Center's committee swung into action in mid-January to plan for the event. Two committee members sponsored the langars each day and made several calls to friends and relatives to attend the celebrations. A list of daily seva activities was prepared. Accomplished bhajan singers and devotees were booked to perform for each day of the week. Catering arrangements were made with the famous vegetarian Indian restaurant, Rajbhog. The Center's halls were decked with flowers, lamps and ribbons, and the building and surrounding plants and trees were decorated with holiday lights. It felt like Christmas in February!

Day 1: The evening started with a delivery of 700 pounds of rice and 40 pounds of pasta by the Center's volunteers to the food kitchen of Palisades Emergency Residence, NJ, for feeding of the homeless. Then, with great fanfare and excitement in the air, the satsangis started pouring into the Center at 7 pm . The celebrations began with Havan, recitation of Dada's favorite Shanti Path Mantra, Om Asato Ma Sadgamaya….and a soul stirring Dhuni by Mr. Raj Padnani. This was followed by a thunderous rendering of Mata Bhajans by Shri Anil Dua and party. At the end of the bhajan program Mr. Ashok Gurnani and Mr. Balu Advani announced the World Premiere of the Sadhu Vaswani Gurukul, the fulfillment of a dream that began only last year with a small suggestion made to Dada by these two devotees at the Sadhana Camp in New Jersey ! They unveiled a beautiful plaque with the Gurukul logo and pictures of both Sadhu Vaswani and Dada. Mr. Advani reviewed the details of the classes with the assembled audience, and after the program, many parents and teachers enrolled for the classes. Chairman of the Center's committee, Mr. Eddie Datwani, presented all the new teachers with a token of the Center's appreciation for their commitment to the cause of young children.

Day 2: Saturday, February 19, 2005 , began with the auspicious work of a new seva inaugurated for the Center's satsangis. Mrs. Asha Jotwani, Mr. Ashok Gurnani, Mrs. Priya Kataria, and others, visited the Buckingham at Norwood , home for the elderly. They brought small gifts for the residents, entertained them with Bingo (Housie), and shared snacks with them. Mrs. Anita Lulla has arranged for the Center's volunteers to serve this home for the aged every other Sunday, starting from March 13, 2005 . We also thank Mrs. Asha Jotwani for finding this opportunity for our satsangis. Upon the setting of the sun, on came the glittering lights of the Center, and we were off to a wonderful evening of Sindhi bhajans and kalams rendered by the three illustrious grandchildren of Master Chandar. Their smiling faces and soul-stirring music from the land of Lal and Latif made this an evening to remember! Mr. Girdhari Chugani brought the evening to a fitting end by reading a few short and touching words about his experiences with Dada during Dada's heart surgery seven years back, and talking about the deep aspiration within him to follow the teachings of our illustrious Master!

Day 3: Sunday was a day for seva, more seva, and satsang. Partnering with one of New Jersey 's best known hospitals, The Englewood Hospital and Medical Center , the Center's Langar Hall became a testing center for Cholesterol, Diabetes, and Blood Pressure. About 120 patients came from towns as far as Morristown , NJ , to avail themselves of the opportunity for the free medical tests. Thanks to newspaper advertisements, road-side banners, and press releases to newspapers and TV stations, many attendees were from the local population of New York and New Jersey . They were impressed that a Hindu organization would open its doors to the whole community out of concern for its well-being. They were lovingly served water and juice, and many stayed back for a taste of the delicious Indian langar that followed the satsang. Many were thrilled with their medical results. Several others were however advised to seek further medical attention to prevent future heart trouble. While the health checks were in progress, the regular weekly satsang commenced upstairs in the Satsang Hall. The singing stars today were members of Sadhu Vaswani Center 's very own Satsang Group. In absence of our beloved Mr. Arjan Mirpuri who was away overseas, the satsang was beautifully conducted by the Center's nightingale, Mrs. Asha Jotwani, to accomplished accompaniment by Mr. Raj Padnani, Mrs. Kiran Moorjani and others. The Center resounded with favorite geets by Nuri and Anjali, and from music taken from compositions of Mr. Haresh Wadhwani and Mr. Ashish Thadani. Mr. Chandru Mahtani brought the assembled satsangis up to date with the seva activities of the Center, and urged them to join in with the seva and celebrations of the week! As with other days, all satsangis were offered bags of bird seeds to take to their homes and offices for feeding of our dear ones all week. After the satsang, Mr. Chandru Mahtani left with other volunteers for their weekly seva of the elderly at the Inglemoor Nursing Home. The health checks continued at the Center for a few more hours. Mr. Ashok Gurnani transmitted digital images of the seva to Pune, where it is believed, Miss Krishna Kumari led Dada to the computer and showed him the pictures of the seva in action!

Day 4: By the time Monday came around, word of the MASTI AND MAUJ with which the Thanksgiving week celebrations were proceeding had traveled far! Over 160 people attended the soulful renderings of Mira and Krishna Bhajans by Shri Kumar Raj Ghandharva. The bhajans of this Krishna Bhakt accompanied by his world-class sarangi player, a Muslim, and the equally accomplished tabalchi, a Christian, added magic to the music that brought Brindaban to Closter! As part of the seva activities, the Center renewed its commitment to the Secaucus Animal Shelter in support of its program to provide health checks and refuge for the stray animals it rescues from the streets of Secaucus. The Center's volunteers have the opportunity to pay regular visits to the Shelter to play with the cats and dogs, and to take them for a walk. The Mayor has proclaimed each November 25, Sadhu Vaswani's birthday, as Animal Rights Day in the town!

Day 5: When the Center's volunteers set out for delivering fresh fruits, vegetables, etc. to the Aids Shelter in Jersey City , NJ , on this day, they also decided to complete the Thursday seva for handing personal clothing and toiletry items to the nearby homeless shelter. At the time, they had no idea of what was to come later in the week! You will read about that shortly. The other thing they also could not have imagined was the evening that was in store for them at the Center. Today, being Tuesday, the day devotees of Sri Hanuman spend in remembrance of him, the Center had scheduled recitation of the Sri Hanuman Chalisa by Swami Madanji of the Panchavati Ashram in New York . Over two hundred satsangis showed up on this working day! The Center's langar committee that was assembled downstairs in the kitchen became nervous about adequacy of the food arrangements for the evening. But then, has the bhandara in these hallowed halls ever run empty? Upstairs, each devotee was given a transcription of the Hanuman Chalisa. Every man, woman and child, it seemed, then joined Swamiji in a spirited recitation of the Chalisa for eleven times! Never before has the Closter Satsang Hall been filled with such immense vibrations from its attendant devotees! The experience touched one and all! Many felt that Sri Hanuman himself had descended from the heavens and joined the satsang in the midst of our two Masters! Cries of Seeavar Ramchandra Ki Jai! Bolo Hanuman Ki Jai! filled the air! Many oceans away, in far-away Pune, Dada's devotees also spent the same evening reciting the Hanuman Chalisa with as much reverence and fervor, reported Mr. Sunil Ahuja , a member who celebrated this day with Dada in Pune.

Day 6: The Center often has a seva program with The Neighborhood Coalition, a homeless shelter in Manhattan , NY . On this day, Mr. Chandru Jagwani and Mr. Girish Chainani distributed items of personal clothing and toiletries to the homeless at this shelter. Mr. Eddie Datwani and his dear wife Mrs. Nani, co-sponsored this day's langar. They also showed satsangis the way of devotion by attending the satsangs for all 7 days of the Thanksgiving Week! The evening brought with it the classical and devotional music of Pandit Ghanshyam Joshi. It was a relaxing evening, very calm, very soothing.

Day 7: The final day of the celebration, Guruvar, however, brought with it a storm, literally! The New York area was hit by a snowstorm, transforming the landscape into a winter wonderland, and forcing the postponement of the day's events to the following Sunday. Swami Madanji, who was scheduled, this time to recite the Ramayan Sundarkand, kindly consented to re-schedule his appearance to Sunday. Luckily, the seva scheduled for this day had already been completed by the volunteers two days earlier! On Sunday, our volunteers proceeded to their regular weekly seva once again at the Inglemoor Nursing Home. Mr. Madanji presented verses from the Ramayan, accompanied by explanations and bhajans. Aarti was led by Raj Padnani singing Meher Mein Ram Batiyun Tun Baar! A video message from Dada was played where he talked about the occasion of Thanksgiving. He reminded us that the surest path to success in material and spiritual life was to constantly express “Shukur,” thanks to the Lord for taking such loving care of us in every circumstance of life. All satsangis of the Sadhu Vaswani Center are thankful to God for His love, for giving us Dada, and thankful to Dada for all that he does for us, including this wonderful festival of Thanksgiving, which brought us all a few more steps nearer to God!