A very special Independence Day ceremony was held at Parmarth Niketan in which the Rishikumars of Parmarth Niketan joined together with all of the Ganga Parivar to hoist the national flag and sing the national anthem. Pujya Mahamandeleshwar Swami Asanganand Saraswatiji blessed the gathering and explained that even as the country is celebrating the completion of 66 years of independence the key to addressing the many challenges that face our nation is not by finding faults in others and blaming outside countries for our problems. Instead, as Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji also teaches us, that we must look within to find our own faults and weakness and bring them into light of our awareness. Pujya Mahamandeleshwarji said that, ‘It is the freedom that comes from knowing that the problem and solution lie in our own hands that we achieve true Independence– that is what is needed in our great nation today.’
A young rishikumar also shared with the gathering that in the changing times, rising pollution and multi-faceted challenges of the nation and the state it has become crucial that we commit ourselves-on this auspicious day- to selflessly serve Mother India and Mother Ganga. ‘Time has come,’ he explained, ‘that we sacrifice our ourselves for the human values and wisdom that Bharat Mata represents- restoring and preserving, once again, the rich historical, cultural, natural and spiritual heritage that has taught us to worship our environment and regard the world as our own family.’
