23rd November 2022
Sadhu Vaswani Rath Yatra 2022
56th Annual Rath Yatra held by Sadhu Vaswani Mission in celebration of Sadhu Vaswani’s 143rd birthday
1st full-fledged rath yatra post-pandemic becomes a crowd puller, hundreds join in enthusiastically
Pune’s streets once again echo with holy chants and appeals to observe Meatless Day
"In compassion and love, discover the meaning of life!" — Sadhu T.L. Vaswani
23rd November 2022, Sadhu Vaswani Mission held the annual rath yatra to celebrate Sadhu Vaswani’s 143rd birthday and spread his message of compassion and love. The rath is a spaceship-like custom-made vehicle with a lifelike statue of Sadhu Vaswani and a portrait of Dada J.P. Vaswani. It is taken through the streets of Pune covering a 5km stretch through Pune Camp. People follow the rath, walking and chanting along the way while many are stationed at the places the rath crosses and are seen bowing to the saints, paying homage and seeking blessings. Housing societies along the route set up magnificent altars to welcome the rath. Didi Krishna Kumari, en route the rath yatra, gives prasad to several participants.
Vans followed the rath
This year, the procession began at 5 PM from the Sadhu Vaswani Mission and concluded at 8 PM IST at the same place. The rath was followed by vans with vocalists singing kirtans and bhajans and hundreds walking and chanting along.
The rath halted at two locations – Pudumjee Compound and near Kohinoor Hotel. Dada J.P. Vaswani’s recorded talks were played. At the first halt, in his Sindhi message, he gave a depiction of the illustrious life of Sadhu Vaswani and urged all to abide by his teachings and said, “Do not forget God. Keep the thought of God in your heart. The poor and broken ones, the needy and the forsaken and the forlorn, animals and birds are all the pictures of God. Serve them, love them, serve them with love and devotion.”
At the next stop, in his Hindi message, he said, “These hands have been given us not to slaughter but to help, to show compassion and not to kill, not to hunt but to serve, not to give sorrow but to be compassionate. This heart has been given to us to love and not to hate anyone. There is no greater power than love. May we make our life new with this power of love.”
Didi Krishna Kumari speaking at the yatra highlighted Sadhu Vaswani’s core message– Love God and love all his creation. She elaborated on how Sadhu Vaswani was the messiah of the voiceless and defenceless animals and urged all to give up foods of violence and cultivate a compassionate heart.
One of the participants, Sushi Gurnamal from the Philippines said, “The vibrations of the rath yatra are so powerful that I leave my family and dear ones and come to participate in it. The chanting that goes on along the route is both purifying and uplifting.”
A faculty of a college shared, “The rath yatra takes the message of compassion to the masses. It gives us an opportunity to reach out to one and all.”
Pilgrims from all walks of life and from across the globe joined the rath yatra.
The route of rath yatra 2022 was Sadhu Vaswani Chowk – U-turn from Sadhu Vaswani Chowk - Runwal Regency chsl - Ritz Hotel - right from G.P.O - BSNL office - St. Helena’s School - New Collectors office - straight from the signal of Babasaheb Ambedkar Chowk - Old Zilla Parishad - left from Narpatgiri Chowk - KEM hospital - Power House Chowk - Sant Kabir Chowk via Nana Peth - left to Quarter gate via Poona Goan Institute - right from Quarter Gate Chowk – Irwin Road – Padumjee Gate Police Chowky – Padumjee Compound – Nishat talkies – Agarwal Colony – Babajan Chowk – R.S.Kedari road – Bhopala Chowk – Mahatma Gandhi road – Aurora Towers – Dorabjee – Nehru Memorial Hall – Sadhu Vaswani Kunj – Shanti Kunj – PremKutir back to Revered Sadhu Vaswani’s Sacred Samadhi (at about 8.00 pm).
Glimpses of Sadhu Vaswani Rath Yatra