Shankaracharya's Manifestation Festival: A Spiritual Spectacle*

Banswara, The Sri Peethambara Ashram reverberated with the echoes of various religious ceremonies during the Shankaracharya's Manifestation Festival. The occasion witnessed the recitation of the musical hymns of the Saundarya Lahari, igniting waves of spiritual fervor among the devotees.

Under the guidance of Professor Dr. Rajesh Joshi, guardian of Gayatri Mandal and an adept in Sanskrit scriptures and Sri Vidya Sadhana, groups of practitioners participated in the collective recitation of hymns composed by Shankaracharya and other rare stotras, infusing the atmosphere with devotion, reverence, and joyous spirituality.

Accompanied by melodious renditions, including the Saundarya Lahari, by practitioners such as Pt. Vinay Bhatt, Pt. Sushil Trivedi, Animesh Purohit, Dromil Trivedi, Anant Joshi, Pt. Chandresh Vyas, Pt. Rakesh Shukla, Pt. Manoj Narhari Bhatt, Nilesh Upadhyay, and Dilip Adhikari, the collective chanting immersed the attendees in waves of blissful ecstasy.

Prior to this, led by Pt. Rakesh Shukla, the ceremony commenced with the worship of the guru paduka (sandals) of Adi Shankaracharya, accompanied by Vedic chants and hymns. Participants, including Pt. Anuj Kumar Tiwari, Vinod Shukla, Subhash Bhatt, Kanhaiyalal Joshi, Subhash Trivedi, Advocate Yashpal Gupta, Kamalkant Bhatt, Arun Vyas, and Anil NH Bhatt, actively engaged in the ritualistic worship, followed by their participation in the collective recitation of the Saundarya Lahari.

The women's wing of Gayatri Mandal, 'Peetambara Shakti,' represented by practitioners such as Neena Gupta, Manju Shukla, Rachna Vyas, Divyabala Joshi, Pushpa Vyas, Vanita Pathak, Suman Acharya, Neena Purohit, Tanushree Acharya, Yogita Vyas, also contributed to the musical rendition of the Saundarya Lahari and various hymns.

Moreover, the festivities included the performance of rituals such as the Hanumad Pooja and the collective recitation of the Hanuman Chalisa, along with rituals dedicated to Bagalamukhi and Sri Vidya Sadhana, invoking divine blessings and spiritual grace.

The celebration of Shankaracharya Jayanti culminated in a vow-taking ceremony, where all present pledged to integrate the teachings of Adi Shankaracharya into their lives, thereby fostering a deeper connection with spirituality.

Adding a green touch to the festivities, under the guidance of former forest officer and Gayatri Mandal's guardian, Dr. Dinesh Bhatt, divine trees were planted within the premises of the Sri Peethambara Ashram.

Overall, the Shankaracharya's Manifestation Festival served as a vibrant spiritual spectacle, resonating with the timeless wisdom and divine grace of Adi Shankaracharya, and reaffirming the commitment of devotees to preserve and propagate the eternal traditions of Sanatana Dharma.