Pune: Sadhu Vaswani Mission Holds Annual Rath Yatra

Pune, 23rd November 2022: The Sadhu Vaswani Mission held the annual rath yatra to celebrate Sadhu Vaswani’s 143rd birthday and spread his message of compassion and love. The rath is a spaceship-like custom-made vehicle with a lifelike statue of Sadhu Vaswani and a portrait of Dada J.P. Vaswani. It is taken through the streets covering a five-km stretch through Pune Camp. People follow the rath, walking and chanting along the way while many are stationed at the places the rath crosses and are seen bowing to the rath, paying homage. Housing societies along the route installed altars to welcome the rath. Didi Krishna Kumari, en route the rath yatra, gives prasad to several participants.

This year, the procession began at 5 PM from the Sadhu Vaswani Mission and concluded at 8 PM IST at the same place. The rath was followed by vans with vocalists singing kirtans and bhajans and hundreds walking and chanting along.

The rath halted at two locations – Pudumjee Compound and near Kohinoor Hotel. Dada J.P. Vaswani’s recorded talks were played. In his message, he said, “These hands have been given to us not to slaughter but to help, not to kill but to show compassion and not to hunt but to serve. This heart has been given to us to love and not to hate anyone. There is no greater power than love.”

Didi Krishna Kumari speaking at the yatra highlighted Sadhu Vaswani’s core message – Love God and love all his creation. She elaborated on how Sadhu Vaswani was the messiah of the voiceless and defenceless animals and urged all to give up foods of violence and cultivate a compassionate heart.

One of the participants, Sushi Gurnamal from the Philippines said, “The vibrations of the rath yatra are so powerful that I leave my family and dear ones and come to participate in it. The chanting that goes on along the route is both purifying and uplifting.”

A faculty of a college shared, “The rath yatra takes the message of compassion to the masses. It gives us an opportunity to reach out to one and all.”

Pilgrims from all walks of life and from across the globe joined the rath yatra.

The route of rath yatra 2022 was Sadhu Vaswani Chowk – U-turn from Sadhu Vaswani Chowk – Runwal Regency chsl – Ritz Hotel – right from G.P.O – BSNL office – St. Helena’s School – New Collectors office – straight from signal of Babasaheb Ambedkar Chowk – Old Zilla Parishad – left from Narpatgiri Chowk – KEM hospital – Power House Chowk – Sant Kabir Chowk via Nana Peth – left to Quarter gate via Poona Goan Institute – right from Quarter Gate Chowk – Irwin Road – Padumjee Gate Police Chowky – Padumjee Compound – Nishat talkies – Agarwal Colony – Babajan Chowk – R.S.Kedari road – Bhopala Chowk – Mahatma Gandhi road – Aurora Towers – Dorabjee – Nehru Memorial Hall – Sadhu Vaswani Kunj – Shanti Kunj – Prem Kutir back to Revered Sadhu Vaswani’s Sacred Samadhi (at about 8.00 pm).

The rath yatra is an annual pilgrim procession since 1966. It is held in the city of Pune to commemorate Sadhu Vaswani’s birthday and spread his message of compassion and love.