THE HISTORY OF
CHINMAYA MISSION, DELHI
1991. The National Camp XIV was held in
February at Chinmaya Vidyalaya. It was attended by members
from all over India. This was the (75th) Platinum Jubilee
Year of Swamiji's birth. For the first time in northern
India, a silver tulabhar was arranged during the National
Yagna. This is not a frequently held ceremony but when it
happened, people participated in large numbers and with
great devotion. (Photographs and a video recording of the
event are available.) A very beautiful commemorative
silver coin was issued, with an imprint of Swamiji with
folded hands. At the Vidyalaya on the tulabhar day,
O.S.Arun sang devotional bhajans.
There was a very festive feeling during the
tulabhar day, but during the camp the enthusiasm of the
devotees was dampened by Swamiji's ill health. Before
coming to Delhi, he had suffered a left ventricular
failure in Madras. These failures were happening from
Calcutta 1990 onwards and devotees were beginning to get
really worried about Swamiji's health. People were
restricted from meeting Swamiji except at fixed times.
Swamiji often broke the rules and went for two music
functions organised by a devotee after the evening
bhiksha.
This was the last yagna in Delhi by Swamiji -
exactly 38 years since he had his first yagna in Delhi.
Between 1953 and 1991, Delhi hosted twenty yagnas of Pujya
Gurudev, Swami Chinmayananda. Many eminent people like
Swami Ranganathananda, Mr. Morarji Desai, Mr. Gulzarilal
Nanda, Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma, Mr. L.K. Advani, Dr. L.M.
Singhvi and Dr. Karan Singh inaugurated Swamiji's yagnas.
The attendance during these yagnas varied from 3000 to
6000 people depending on the venue and the season. The
discourses were usually in a central part of Delhi.
Between 1974 and 1983, they were held in Bharatiya Vidya
Bhawan with the principal, Dr. M.P. Chhaya, giving his
full support.
On February 8, a Bhakti Sandhya was organized at
the Siri Fort Auditorium in which Purushottam Jalota and his son Anup
Jalota sang bhajans. Asha Nath recited the Bhagawad Geeta
before the Jalotas began their concert. The auditorium was
jam packed and many people could not get in due to lack of
space. Right in the middle of the function, Swamiji - like
a music conductor - gave a signal by the hand and the
Jalotas softened their bhajans. When Swamiji got up from
his chair, only the background music was playing. Then
Swamiji explained the story behind a book which he was
about to release. The book was produced for Central
Chinmaya Mission Trust by Mrs. Anjali Singh. Swamiji said
that she had followed him around the world asking him a
lot of questions! These tape recorded conversations took
place in cars, trains and planes - the only places where
he had free time! Hence, the book was titled 'On Wings and
Wheels'! Thereafter the bhajans started again and after
sometime Swamiji again played the 'conductor'. This time
he took off the Rudraksha mala he was wearing and
presented it to Purushottam Jalota. Then after a few
minutes, he gave the silver platter on which the books had
been placed for release, to the young Anoop Jalota.
Swamiji then showed the silver scissors, which had been
used for cutting the ribbon, to the audience and then he
put them in his pocket!
There was a Bhakti Sandhya in October performed by
Dr. K.J. Yesudas at the Siri Fort Auditorium. The Vice
President of India, Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma, came as the
chief guest.
1992. Inspite of ill health, Swamiji came to Delhi
on the March 22 for the bhoomi puja of the Chinmaya Centre
of World Understanding building, which was about to be
constructed. To mark the occasion, Sachin Shanker's dance
troupe gave a performance in the evening at the Sir
Shankar Lal Auditorium, New Delhi. The next day, a temple
art exhibition took place at the site of the Chinmaya
Centre of World Understanding and Swamiji enjoyed seeing
the various exhibits. A Kathakali ballet by the
International Centre for Kathakali, New Delhi, was also
performed at the site that day in the holy presence of
Swamiji. The nurses that were undergoing training in
Sidhbari sang devotional pahari songs during the first
half of the programme. They had come especially from
Sidhbari.
1993. On March 14, Swamiji came for a dance
performance by Nandini Rangan organised by the Mission at
the India International Centre. Swamiji stayed with Mrs.
Kusum Patel. This was his last official visit to Delhi.
On May 24, Swamiji passed through Delhi on his way
to Sidhbari for his last camp there. Swamiji was sick and
he stayed in a hotel near the airport in Delhi. In
Sidhbari, the last two silver tulabhars in honour of
Swamiji during his lifetime, were performed by Delhi
devotees. On May 29, Darshan Sharma performed a Tulabhar
in Sidhbari. On May 31, Mrs. Janak Kapoor performed the
last tulabhar. Many devotees from Delhi were present for
both the tulabhars and shared the work like in a yagna.
The clothes that Swamiji wore at Darshan's tulabhar, later
became the cover design for the book 'Unto
Him'.
Swamiji's last stop in Delhi was on June 7 when he
was at Delhi airport for two hours en route from Sidhbari
to Bombay. Mrs. Sheela Sharma and Mrs. Bindra had brought
some snacks for him and he shared it with everyone in the
room. It was like the Last Supper. His last words, before
being wheeled away into security, were in reply to a
question by Mrs. Anjali Singh. He said: "You would have
rare photographs to take". He was referring to August 7
due to an earlier
conversation.
On August 3 in San Diego, Swamiji shed the burden
of his body and the responsibilities of the Chinmaya
Mission.
On August 7, Swamiji arrived from the United States
in the Mahasamadhi state. His mortal frame, which was in a
lotus position, was brought to Delhi exactly 40 years
since his first yagna in the city and was placed at the
very place where a pratima (statue) of Swamiji now adorns
the sanctified spot. On August 7, rare photos indeed were
taken of his last journey through the capital city, where
thousands queued up to pay their last heartfelt homage.
The great master of Vedanta, who had sanctified the
capital city of India with his generous flow of knowledge
for 40 years and with his holy presence for half a
century, was passing through for the very last time. He
rested for twelve hours before proceeding to
Sidhbari.
He went in glory, in a car bedecked with flowers,
devotion and gratitude, mixed with natural sorrow. His car was followed
by a convoy of cars and buses that accompanied his mortal
frame. This was his last procession, but he was
there.
Swami Chinmayananda has left his mark upon history
in terms of wisdom, knowledge, dynamism, achievement,
self-confidence and a stream of laughter. His life was a
continuous flow of go signals, to all the goals he set out
to achieve. Whenever he started to do anything, he never
had the attitude that it cannot be done. He was a man who
spent every moment of his life in the service of mankind.
He, himself, was the best example of his teachings. He was
the best student any teacher could hope to have, and the
best teacher any disciple ever wished for in his dreams.
His coffers were always open. Those who availed of them
were the lucky ones. Those who did not - well, the house
is still open.
AFTER THE MAHASAMADHI
Swami Tejomayananda was appointed head of Chinmaya
Mission and slipped into his master's shoes with great
humility.
The yagna that was to have been taken in October
1993 by Gurudev, at the site of the Chinmaya Centre of
World Understanding, was taken instead by Swami
Chidananda, who was briefly appointed acharya in
Delhi.
Swami Nikhilananda was appointed next as acharya
and served the Delhi Mission for six years before being
sent in 1999 to the Mission's San Jose centre in the
United States.
1994. On February 12, the
foundation stone of the Chinmaya Centre of World
Understanding was laid by Swami Tejomayananda. The chief
guest at the function was the Lt. Governor of Delhi, Mr.
P.K. Dave. Seven swamis and many devotees were also
present.
A yagna by Swami Tejomayananda was held at the
Aiifacs Theatre in October.
A silver tulabhar that had been fixed in Swamiji's
time, was performed by Mr. and Mrs. B.M. Patel on November
20 at the site.
1995. The first concrete pouring was done on April
14 with puja. By chance, two swamis from the Divine Life
Society were also visiting, and happened to be present at
the occasion.