Under District of North 24 Parganas in the state of West Bengal, is an old and famous administrative territory of India, populated by people from almost all provinces of India. The town was a military and administrative center under British rule, and was the scene of several acts of rebellion against Britain during the 19th century.
The earliest references to the Barrackpore region are found in the writings of the Greek navigators, geographers, chronicles and historians of the 1st century BC to the 3rd century A.D
The first British barrack or cantonment in India was built here in 1772, providing the town with its name. After the British crown assumed direct control of India, the sprawling Government House and the Government Estate were built in Barrackpore to provide the viceroy with a suburban residence 15 miles outside of Calcutta.
Two rebellions against British authority took place in Barrackpore in the 19th century; the first of these came in 1824, under Sepoy Binda Tiwary. In 1857, Barrackpore was the scene of an incident that some credit with starting the Indian rebellion of 1857; an Indian soldier, Mangal Pandey, attacked his British commander, and was subsequently court-martialled. His regiment was disbanded, an action which offended a number of sepoys and is considered to have contributed to the anger that fueled the rebellion
Demographics
As of 2001 India census, Barrackpur had a population of 144,331. Males constitute 53% of the population and females 47%. Barrackpur has an average literacy rate of 81%, higher than the national average of 59.5%. 8% of the population is under 6 years of age. majority of the population is Bengali and Hindu.
Heritage and culture
Barrackpore was home to a number of significant members of the Indian independence movement, many of whom have memorials in the subdivision. He has a memorial in the subdivision. Another significant leader of the movement who lived in Barrackpore is Rastraguru Surendra Nath Bandyopadhaya, who was called the father of Indian Nationalist Movement. The house of Surendranath at Monirampur of Barrackpore has now been converted to Rastraguru Surendranath Institute and Netaji Open University. Gandhi also spent time in the area, and the famous Gandhi Ghat is located on the west bank of the Hooghly. A Gandhi museum nearby has rare collection of books, articles used by Gandhi.
Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyaya, the author of India’s national song Vande Mataram, was born at Naihati, in Barrackpore subdivision. Vande Mataram is credited to him. Another noted literary figure of the post independence era, Samaresh Basu, also hailed from Naihati. His noted work ‘Ganga’ vividly depicts the life of the fishermen of the Hooghly (Ganges) rivers.
The Program
Hand bills were distributed for 2weeks before programme to every house, shops and even to passers by, explaining them Sahaja Yoga in short, its benefits, and inviting them all with family & friends at Sukanta Sadan on 27th July. As Barrackpore is a vast area, efforts were made to cover all the possible major areas as far as possible. Posters were spread on street lampposts, near by Railway stations and connecting areas.
For last three days, spreading got boosted up with announcement done on mike with the help of an auto rickshaw which was beautifully decorated with banners, posters, etc. While a group was engaged in announcement, the other group was enjoying the leaflet work.
On 27th evening the Programme started at scheduled time (5.30 p.m.) inviting Shri Ganesha with a Ganesh bhajan. Soon the hall started witnessing new seekers and also Sahajis in mass scale. More than 200 Sahajis were present there at this moment.
Seekers were presented with a 30 min Audio visual presentation on Sahaja Yoga. The presentation consisted dance and recitation on two poems of sri Rabindranah tagore. It was followed by a slide show presentation on the happening of Sahaja yoga highlighting kundalini awakening, charkas, channels and mother excerpts on the same.
The presentation was followed by Shri Mataji’s speech (15 min) and finally seekers were asked for having their self realization. Every one present in the hall felt the divine bliss on the hand and top of the head as cool and hot breeze. The process was repeated twice and thrice for those who could not feel vibrations in the first attempt.
Two days follow up programme was scheduled on (28th and 29th of July)
Oh grand Ocean sparkling full of joyful hope
Diamonds scattered all along
Seeds of little suns all day, Twinkle of million stars all night
The eternity expands at thy horizon
While our wishes converge at your shores
Many a dreams I had built on your depth
Most lost their form in thy majestic canvas
Some found their forms in your boundless identity
Rhythms so holy ever at your disposal
I am a note amidst million notes of HER music
When we are unheard, unseen
There is your color that of contentment and gesture that is eternally generous
When we are the spoken and witness
There is your expanse of infinite compassion and love truly HER’
In awe, I am bridged between heart and its holiness
Numerous arts, dear sky would bear in his arms
Ripples of eternity gazed in spectrum of colors and forms
The clouds so cherished of lost identity, curd churned of divinity’s milk
You reflect all those in your delicate lap, quiet and deep
I am a boat of hope journeying to the land of Love’s behold!
Many a odes unsung at your shore still
Withered shells, garlands of waves’ patterns occupies my attention
I am covered by a garment as limited as these patterns are
While My Mother whose garments’ dust is this ocean, search for myself lies deep down here!
Lost in collective identification of million drops as mine Treasure hidden here and there!
Since the last 6 months, an ongoing experiment in online meditations has progressed quite beautifully. The attendance has risen quite steadily and the number of people logged in maybe just a third or so of the actual people meditating because many people sit in at the same computer many times. So who knows, more than 300 or 400 people maybe online:
An online public program, which has used a mashup synchronous presentation application was a success. Initially created for Michigan residents who are unable to attend classes, it was extended to listeners and viewers from Fiji Islands, Canada, India, Australia and more. These are exciting times we live in. There is an active interest from Sahaja Yoga community in France, UK and Holland to develop national online meditations following this program at http://sahajayogaglobalmeditation.org
Hope they fulfill the vision of virtual en masse enlightenment.
Berlin was a blast. We gave up to 250 realisations one person one day.
The people were standing in 3 rows be4 the stand and the yogis had no chair to sit on for 8 hours.
We made a little spot in front, so at least 2 young people could sit on the floor 4 realisation.
Each of us had to handle minimum 2 persons up to 4 at the same time. Once 1 spot got free we pointed at it and shouted like a market-stand-owner: “one place free”, and the visitors ran for it.
After 4 days I felt like a waitress, cause my feet were so sour. On the last day vibrations were so strong, twice the bliss of the castle in Cabella, so I just let the seekers put their own hand over their heads, giving them a bandhan, and they got it in seconds ! this was my best realisation experience ever.
This is a recollection from the year 2002, when Shri Mataji was in Canajoharie for Shri Krishna puja. One night a bunch of us were lending a hand at Her residence close to the hangar. After finishing up with the chores we were offered the option of meditating by her living room, where She was receiving someone. So we sat down and started meditating and the proof of being thoughtless was that I cannot recall a word that was exchanged between the visitor and Mother. However, reflecting on the keywords of the discussion I saw an awe gathering within me, later.
The entire event in the living room was Mother being briefed upon dangerous chemicals at play in various aspects of American life: food supply, various forms of pollution etc. The briefing was highly technical but a graduate student can make out that the conversation was aimed at putting divine attention on the disruption of nature and all things natural in our lifestyles here. It was past midnight and there She was, sitting and working these things out in the form of the most compassionate One.
Poetry that nourishes the being by invoking the spirit, alluding to the eternal and taming the infernal:
Footnote: An Iranian friend of mine once told me: Rumi was never ‘Rumi’ in his homeland. Only to the distant sufis of India etc, he was Rumi as he lived around Rome. Similarly, Indians never know Khusro as ‘Dehelvi’, only the middle easterners would call im Dehelvi (of Delhi, India).
Yesterday, the following picture of water being vibrated was sent from Brazil.
Vibrating water in Sahaja Yoga for benevolence is a time tested recommendation which most yogis follow with diligence. Upon searching the blogosphere for more stories related to vebrated water, the following were found. If you have more, let the blog know!
With the spreading of Sahaja Yoga, it became well known that water can be vibrated by Shri Mataji, directly by her personal impact or in the presence of her photograph. Many people experienced medicinal properties of such water. [from sahajayoga.org] complete story
The India tour participants from this past March, 2008, recollect talking about vibrated water research to the agricultural university there:
“On the weekend of 15 February 2008 we, a small group of Sahaja Yogis from Mumbai, went to the Konkan Agricultural College to give realisation. About 1,500 students got their realisation as well as the Principal and all the staff. We showed them some research on sunflowers treated with vibrated water which gave a higher yield, and trees affected by acid rain treated in the same way, done by Dr Mylany in Austria some years ago, and they were very impressed.” complete article on the aussie sy website
Vibrated water brings balance and peace to places that might have seen disturbing episodes in history. Here is a recollection by a yogi sprinkling vibrated water to bring peace:
During this trip [Native American Tour by Sahaja Yogis] I was able to visit very important places, crucial areas of historic importance, where battles and very important historical personalities, both good and bad, laid the foundation for the formation of the United States. We were able to throw vibrated water at the Battle of the Big Horn. We prayed to bring peace to the Indians and the entire American population. We held Sahaja Yoga programs on the reservations. complete article in Light of Sahaja Yoga newspaper
Yen from Malaysia has a ‘recipe’ for vibrating the house with vibrated water!
Recipe for Vibrated Fragrant Air (click for the complete post) Ingredients :
1 spray bottle
Some vibrated water
Few drops of perfume oil (Jasmine, Mogra, Khus, Rose, Sandalwood…your choice) - This is the secret ingredient
Under District of North 24 Parganas in the state of West Bengal, is an old and famous administrative territory of India, populated by people from almost all provinces of India. The town was a military and administrative center under British rule, and was the scene of several acts of rebellion against Britain during the 19th century.
