ROCK ON Amol !

Jai Guru Dev,

Shravan Rudra Puja - Pune

I was privileged to attend the Shravan Rudra Pooja at Indraprastha, Pune yesterday. Graced by Swami Saumyatej from the Art Of Living Bangalore Ashram, the pooja got underway at 7ish with a powerful slow chant On Namah Shivaya. We chanted for quite a while and I was reminded of the Guru Poornima Advanced Course I took 2 years ago. This chanting was so calming and soothing at the same time.

A satsang started right after and a couple of amazing bhajans later, the Rudra Pooja started. I wanted to meditate right through but could not as this was my first Rudra Pooja and I wanted to witness it. It was amazing watching Swamiji with his eyes either closed in deep meditation or attending to the pooja rituals.


After the pooja performed so beautifully by the pujaris from the Bangalore Ashram, the satsang started again. Rapturous, beautiful, soul satisfying, rocking.....words fall short. I wanted to stand up and dance but the hall was packed and no-one else was :) . The chief pujari chanted Shiva Manas Puja - so beautiful.



Amol Bhaiyya was there - can you spot him ? :)

Swamiji spoke after all was done and reminded everyone of Mission Green Earth, to plant trees and inspire at least 10 others to plant them too.


As I left, the rains came down - seems to have become a habit right after any AOL spiritual / seva event in Pune. I wonder why :)

UPDATE : This is totally funny. My camera has a video feature that I am completely unaware of. Somehow when I pointed my camera towards the stage during the preperations for the pooja, my camera captured some video, and I had no idea or intention of shooting video.





Jai Guru Dev,

Sanson Ki Mala Me

Amol Shende and Seema Ramchandani...... Just Listen .

AOL PUNE Amol Shen...

(Courtesy : http://www.esnips.com/web/AmolShende/ )

Jai Gurudev,

Guru Poornima 2008 Satsang Pune

Pune had a rocking Guru Poornima satsang a day earlier on July 17th at Ganesh Kala Krida Rangamanch with Amol Shende and group.


The evening started with Guru Pooja after which Amol and his troupe started satsang.

I've heard Amol before (his album Trikaal is well known in Art Of Living circles), but this was the first time hearing him live. Boy was he amazing or what ? Last night he had the audience clapping, dancing, meditating all at once.




He sang totally rocking satsang numbers - Narayana Hari Om, Ishwar Guru (from his latest album - Vasudevaya), Shiva Om Shiva Namah Shivaya ...several others I cant readily recall since I was mostly meditating through it all . My favorite was "Gurudeva Guru Om....Namah Shivaya". It was amazing how he took a bhajan usually sung slowly and rendered it with such gusto that the audience was on its feet ......!!!!

What was amazing for me was that the silence and celebration were happening simultaneously. Satsang for me has always been deeper than any meditation be it leading , singing along or just closing my eyes .

"Singing helps to bring serenity. Singing is simply merging into the sound, floating on its waves with a sense of contentment and meditativeness"

Sri Sri Ravishankar

I for sure was floating in an ocean of contentment yesterday. The pain of not being with Gurudev in Santa Clara for Guru Poornima was gone. He is with me always, yesterday I was with him too ....


Jai Guru Dev,


UPDATE : Courtesy Flame (comments below) we have a video of Amol singing Ishwar Guru at the Mumbai Guru Poornima Satsang .

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3409737877814152953

Vithala Vithala Vithala ...

If you haven't yet heard this bhajan rocking Art Of Living, India , you really must. I just got back from a rocking satsang at Aundh, Pune and someone there sung this so beautifully . The spirit was uplifted, the mind was so meditative, all was ONE !

Tha Bhajan is in Marathi and I could only catch 2 lines . (If anyone has the complete lyrics, please add them as comments to this post)

Kannatha Kannatha Vithalla
(God is in every atom)
Khshannatha Khshannatha Vithhala
(God is in every moment)

Both space and time surrendered to HIM ! SO B E A U T I F U L !


Here IT IS, so beautifully rendered by Amol Shende, Pune's own Art of Living ROCK STAR ! Listen carefully for Guruji's voice ! It was sung at the Mahasatsang held recently in Pune, India when Guruji also joined in with his mellifluous voice.




Jai Guru Dev,