Photo Essay Part 6: AtmaShuddhi Divas Yajna and Prarthana Sabha

After Buddha Maharaj performed the Ramakrishna Yajna, the mass prayer began. GopaMa spoke on the theme of "Gourayan Katha" to inspire newcomers about the life of Sri Sri Gour Baba. Mastermoshai's bhajans were mellifluous. Gourdasi taught some powerful kriyas as a follow-up to what had been taught in the yoga and guided meditation shivir. In the end, there was harinaam sankirtan, where EVERYBODY danced - even those who had felt shy to dance on the streets during nagar sankirtan!

Photo Essay Part 5: AtmaShuddhi Divas - The Yoga and Guided Meditation Shivir

Batteries charged after the nagar sankirtan, we proceeded to the premises of the Gour Mandir, where we were treated to an uplifting session of yogasanas and guided meditation conducted by GopaMa. She described the benefits of those asanas which Sri Gour Baba recommended for sadhakas. Most appreciated was the highly relaxing yoganidra session, where we learned how a half hour session of yoga nidra can make up for several hours of sleep deprivation. This was practical spirituality at its best. In the meantime, Buddha Maharaj was inside the temple, performing the dasa-upachar puja in preparation for the yajna.

Photo Essay Part 4: Nagar Sankirtan 2 - More Pictures of the Procession

More pictures of the ecstatic nagar sankirtan, with some of the joyful dance at the end when we 100-odd people returned to the colony. Devotees were ready, as per GopaMa's planning, with steaming cups of tea to welcome the breathless but happy lot.
The Ghosh family thoughtfully sponsored muri-ghugni breakfast for all the Satsang workers who had not had much rest in the build up to the big day...

Photo Essay Part 3: Nagar Sankirtan 1 - The Dawn Procession

Amidst chanting and jayadhvani, nearly a hundred people, men, women and children, set out for nagar sankirtan, a dawn procession with kirtan and music. We walked, singing, playing drums and cymbals, clapping, and dancing, all along the length of MG Road, the main road in the Barisha area. Volunteers managed traffic superbly, and many gathered on the sides of the road to see the joyous procession. Many new people spontaneously joined the procession and stayed on for the whole day's programme! The nagar sankirtan was a blissful experience, and we danced in bliss down MG Road for over an hour.

Photo Essay Part 2: At Break of Dawn on AtmaShuddhi Divas

It was still dark when everyone gathered at the Gour Mandir of Bibek Anander Satsang Calcutta Centre at the break of dawn. Sri Sri Gour Baba looked beautiful in a cream coloured khadi silk shawl, and He and Thakur, Ma Sarada and Swamiji all wore hand-embroidered Parsi angavastrams (uttariya). Shades of blue, pink and cream lit up the temple as GopaMa performed the mangalarati. There was a magic in the air, as the sun slowly rose through the morning fog amidst the sound of conch shells and temple bells...

Photo Essay Part 1: AtmaShuddhi Divas 2011 at the BASS Calcutta Centre

ONE DAY TO GO! The pictures say it all. The joy of working together for a spiritual project - AtmaShuddhi Divas 2011 - was unparalleled. In these two pictures, we see the young people finalising the work to be done on Sunday the 11th - the big day.