During the “Paryarvan Parade” yesterday (26 January) in which more than a thousand people – from across India and around the world – marched together to celebrate India’s Republic Day on the banks of the Ganga at the Kumbh Mela today, as part of an environmental parade to call for India’s independence from pollution and to pay homage to the war heroes, who have faithfully served India’s past.
Led by His Holiness Puyja Swami Chidanand Saraswati, Founder of Ganga Action Parivar and President of Parmarth Niketan Ashram, Rishikesh, participants from of all castes, creeds and cultures came together to call for an Indian “Clean Revolution.” The parade-goers, hailing from more than 54 countries, as well as students from the Northeast states of India, waved their national flags, colorful banners and slogan-signs calling for all to keep Mother India and Mother Ganga pollution-free.
Today, nearly four hundred of the foreigners made good on their promise! Led by Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji, they traveled out into the Sangam and took part in a huge clean up program which involved picking up all the trash as well as shoveling dirt over all the defecation in the Sangam bathing area. Pujya Prem Babaji from Brazil and Pujya Swami Paramadvaitiji from South America and Revered Patrick McCullum from California also joined for the Cleanup with full enthusiasm.
Said Puyja Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji, “Mother Ganga gives us life, She cleans us and purifies us. Today on this sacred day of Paush Purnima, we are first cleaning Her banks before we go for our traditional snan (bath). Yes, we had all of these people pledge to do whatever they can to keep Mother Ganga’s waters and banks clean. Today we performed ‘sadhana in action’ through seva for Mother Ganga.”
View photos from this clean-up, and all of GAP’s clean-ups >>