SARANGPUR, INDIA, August 17, 2016 (press release): HPI note: Complete video coverage of the ceremony is available at “source” above. Since Saturday, 13th August, after HH Pramukh Swami Maharaj abandoned his mortal body, almost 2.1 million devotees paid tributes to HH Pramukh Swami Maharaj in four days. Thousands of dignitaries from various walks of life also arrived at Sarangpur for Swamishri’s last darshan to offer their respects.
On the day of his final rites, Wednesday, 17th August, HH Mahant Swami and Shri Morari Bapu performed arti at 7:45 am. Shortly thereafter, BJP National Head Shri Amit Shah, Union Finance Minister Shri Arun Jaitley, Union Railway Minister Shri Suresh Prabhu, Deputy Chief Minister of Gujarat Shri Nitin Patel and Gujarat BJP head Shri Jitubhai Vaghani arrived at Sarangpur to pay their obeisances.
Thereafter, around 11 am, HH Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s palanquin was taken by sadhus all the way from the ground where his body was laid to rest for darshan to his residence where senior sadhus performed the panchamrit snan ritual. Around 3:00 pm, he was placed in a palanquin and was taken into the mandir grounds where more than 200,000 devotees had assembled for the last rites. The atmosphere in the mandir precincts was solemn and awash with profound devotion of devotees.
After 3:45 pm, Swamishri’s palanquin was placed on the funeral pyre, comprising of neatly arranged logs and neem wood. Shri LK Advani and Yogacharya Baba Ramdevji offered their tributes to HH Pramukh Swami Maharaj.
Sadguru P. Ishwarcharan Swami extolled the greatness of Pramukh Swami Maharaj and said, “It was Swamishri’s wish to have his final rites performed on this place in order to behold Akshar-Purushottam Maharaj in the main mandir and remain in the divine sight of Brahmaswarup Shastriji Maharaj from the Smruti Mandir.”
Shri Ramdevji Maharaj offered his respects saying, “Pramukh Swami Maharaj descended on earth by God’s will and he left by God’s will. He shall continue to enlighten us all by his divine consciousness.”
Thereafter the Janmangal Namavali was recited. HH Mahant Swami performed the ritual of smearing chandan on Pramukh Swami’s forehead and ghee on his holy feet, followed by arti and mantrapushpanjali. Hundreds of thousands of people watched HH Mahant Swami circumambulate the funeral pyre while holding the bundle of burning straw, ignited from the holy flame brought from Aksharderi, Gondal. Senior sadhus followed suit. Amidst Vedic chantings, HH Mahant Swami set alight the funeral pyre. Subsequently, there was an eruption of tears and cries from all corners of the assembly.