Lokenath Tirodhan Utsav

By: Admin | Baba Lokenath | 05-Jan-2022

Due to Covid imposed Lockdown, Baba Lokenath’s Mahasamadhi Smaranautsav was celebrated not with the grand festivities, mass feeding of bhog prasadam to thousands of devotees, stage programmes and outward expressions of divine delight like in the earlier years. Like last year, everyone sat in their homes and dwelt in divine remembrance of Baba Lokenath through online medium. All activities of the mission starting from morning aarti till evening ‘shayan’ aarti  were telecast LIVE on the Facebook page: ‘Baba Lokenath- 1730-1890’. Baba Lokenath’s most incredible marble idol was decorated with flowers and garlands. Even the holy ‘pushpanjali’ (flower offering) ceremony was something the devotees were not deprived of from participating as the priest chanted mantras online so that the devotees could offer flowers at their respective home altars to feel a sense of divine fulfilment in their hearts. The 108 times offering of tulsi leaves at Baba Lokenath’s Lotus Feet while chanting 108 Holy Names of Baba was also performed by Mission founder Bodhi Shuddhaanandaa. After the ‘Deep Daan’ or Lamp Lighting ceremony where 108 earthen lamps were lit before Baba Lokenath symbolizing the kindling of our consciousness by His Divine Grace, Bodhi talked about Baba Lokenath’s Baradi leela at the time of His leaving the mortal body while reading from his book ‘The Incredible Life of a Himalayan Yogi: Baba Lokenath Brahmachari’. Thereafter, the afternoon bhog was served to Baba Lokenath during which time Bodhi asked each one watching online from their homes to close their eyes and meditate upon the Master’s radiant form. At 11-45 am, the Mahasamadhi Muhurta, he lead the devotees through Guided Meditation invoking Baba’s divine grace and mercy for humanity and also for healing Mother Earth. People from around the world watching the live session, joined this Global Peace Meditation, feeling deeply Baba’s divine presence and also the vibrational unity of one purose, ‘Heal Humanity, Heal Mother Earth“. The afternoon bhog offering ceremony was followed by soulful bhajans sung by Bodhi and a few devotees who were permitted as volunteers to be present at the ashram. Thus the day session ended.

The evening program was telecast online too starting from the evening aarti, Bodhi’s soulful bhajans, his most enlightening talk on the power of mind if it was channeled towards One Light source, elaborating on the significance of Light as sung by the Rishis in the Gayatri Mahamantra, and ending with the Shayan aarti of Baba Lokenath.

One most incredible highlight of this year’s Baba Lokenath Tirobhab Utsav was that the young boys and girls of the mission’s ‘BODHI’S YOUTH FRATERNITY’ took it upon themselves to celebrate the grand day at their homes in the most unique way. In the early morning they gathered together on an online platform and chanted the 108 names of baba in unison. And then– they cooked bhog all by themselves and offered it at their home altars.

It was a ‘first time cooking moment’ for most of the boys and girls who had never learnt how to light the stove before, and had taken their ‘mom’s cooking’ for granted. It was a huge challenge to them to do everything from A to Z — shop for vegetables, chop them, get  utensils ready, do the cooking after a bath and staying mute and chanting the holy mantra inwardly all the while in this whole process of MINDFUL COOKING. Once the food was ready (under supervision of their parents), they had to decorate the altar with fresh flowers, light lamp and incense and serve the food to Baba Lokenath. Then they had to sit in meditation until their heart felt content. And then came the interesting part — take pictures of their altar with the holy prasadam and send them to Bodhi! Baba Lokenath was most happy with their dear little Grandchildren’s sincere efforts to please Him.

We take this opportunity to thank one and all, devotees from all over the world, supporting this annual event by generously donating their love offering to Baba Lokenath as they did in previous years. We only pray to Baba that by his healing Grace, may we celebrate Baba Lokenath 19 Jaistha, Tirobhav Mohotsav with all the devotees physicallly coming for darshan at the temple and also have prasad and particpate in all the activities as we did before pandameic hit the world in 2020 in 2022. Jai Baba Lokenath!