Spiritual Discourse May 2023, Nawan Nagar, Haryana

Nawan Nagar, May 2023

On May 27, 2023, Sant Baljit Singh Ji gave a spiritual discourse at the Vishav Manav Ruhani Kendra (VMRK) center in Nawan Nagar, Haryana, India. A huge gathering of people from acoss India came to attend this event.

VMRK expected a large turnout and began to prepare for this event in the weeks prior. The event spanned 40 acres of land situated adjacent to the center. Volunteers came in large numbers to prepare the event grounds and facilities. Three large tents and many more small tents were put up as the main event venue. In addition, several more tents were also set up for accommodation, food preparation, and food service areas for attendees to eat the wholesome meals prepared and served by VMRK volunteers.

Attendees from faraway places started arriving from May 23, a few days before the spiritual discourse on May 27. VMRK had prioritized transportation safety of attendees by arranging pick up and drop off services from the bus and train stations. VMRK also provided free food and accommodation to everyone who attended this multi-day event.

By May 27, the day of the spiritual discourse program, the whole center and event grounds had been completely decorated with colorful lights. The main pathway on the event grounds to the dais was decorated with flower petals and rangoli. 14 big LED screens and audio equipment had been installed in the satsang tents to ensure that attendees in the far reaches of the tents would be able to comfortably see and listen to Sant Baljit Singh Ji.

As crowds began to converge for the evening satsang, volunteers on security duty worked non-stop to ensure smooth traffic flow along the main road that lies adjacent to the event grounds. People from nearby areas arrived in large numbers and soon the satsang tents were full.

Prior to the start of the evening program, many people gathered along the path to the satsang tents to pay their respects to Sant Baljit Singh Ji and receive his darshan as he walked from his house to the dais. At six o’clock in the evening, professional singers started the program with devotional songs. The audience enjoyed the devotional songs and an atmosphere of devotion and reverence permeated through the tents. In the satsang that followed, Sant Baljit Singh Ji captivated the audience by speaking for more than two-and-half hours. He explained the value of human life, the need to watch our thoughts and actions at every moment, and the necessity to live life consciously through self-introspection and meditation. The audience found the satsang inspirational and motivating.

Afterwards, Sant Baljit Singh Ji walked among the audience for 45 minutes to give them darshan. During this time, the professional singers sang devotional songs of the Gurbani, the hymns from the Guru Granth Sahib.

The next day, on May 28, Sant Baljit Singh Ji gave the holy gift of Naam Daan to the spiritual seekers who received initiation into the meditation of the inner Light and Sound.

Charitable services at May 2023 Spiritual Discourse

This event was another opportunity for VMRK to deliver charitable services that incorporate the service-to-humanity principles conveyed in the teachings of Sant Baljit Singh Ji. From May 22–28, 2023, VMRK conducted multiple charitable activities to serve event attendees at the Nawan Nagar center as well as surrounding communities. Teams of VMRK volunteers ventured into remote hilly areas in the states of Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, and Haryana to provide charitable services. They covered an area within a radius of 55 kilometers from the center at Nawan Nagar. These charitable activities made a meaningful positive impact to the lives of thousands of underprivileged people.

A summary of these charitable services is presented in this blog post. For detailed descriptions of how these programmes are usually run, please read the following blog posts:

• Charitable services at VMRK Pimpalner, February 2023
• Serving communities around Pimpalner in February 2023
• Charitable services at Ashvin Navratri 2022
• Serving villages and slums during Ashvin Navratri 2022.

Medical and hygiene camps

VMRK organized a medical camp at the center in Nawan Nagar throughout the entire event. Everyday, a team of 21 well-qualified medical professionals provided 24-hour medical service to thousands of attendees and the general public. The doctors, paramedical and nursing staff provided free health check-ups, medical consultation, medicines, and patient care. On standby, were three fully-equipped ambulances.

Additionally, free medical camps were organized on 6 days in six different locations at Sheetalpur, Chaunki, Ghanauli, Dharampur, Marranwala, and Goraknath. Many people at these locations live in slums or come from poor social and economic backgrounds. The medical team of doctors, pharmacists, and nursing staff were supported by a team of volunteers from VMRK. At these camps, more than 630 patients received free medical help including basic health check-ups, medical consultation, and free medicines.

VMRK volunteers also organized hygiene camps at the same locations as these medical camps. VMRK volunteers distributed more than 1,500 hygiene kits and showed the communities how to use the personal care items in these hygiene kits. The focus was to promote the importance of hygiene to safeguard against sickness and disease. These sessions created the awareness that instilling personal care is an important part of fostering the practice that prevention is better than cure.

Blood donation camp

A blood donation camp was conducted over two days on May 27–28. This time, VMRK collaborated with the Command Hospital in Chandimandir, Panchkula, Haryana and Civil Hospital in Roop Nagar, Punjab who sent their blood bank teams to the Nawan Nagar center. 175 people willingly presented themselves to be assessed as potential blood donors. After the doctors screened those who came forward and made their assessments, 157 units i.e. 60.8 liters of blood were collected from 157 donors.

Donating educational materials to students

VMRK also organized a charitable activity focused on educational support for students from economically underprivileged sections of society. These students are from families who are mainly daily wage earners and/or living in slum areas. VRMK collaborated with the management teams at 57 schools and distributed educational materials to more than 4,820 students.

On March 24, 2023, in a function organized on the premises of our Government Middle School in Dabkauri village, situated in the Barwala block of Panchkula district in Haryana, VMRK donated school bags, water bottles, and an assortment of general and essential school stationery to students-in-need. For myself, as the Head Teacher, and on behalf of our entire school staff, our children, their parents, and our villagers, I would like to say thank you to Shri Param Sant Sat Guru Baljit Singh Ji and VMRK, from the bottom of our hearts for your love, kindness, and compassion, and everything you did for us. For a brighter future for our children, we wish they will continue to get your help and support in the form of your blessings, in the times to come as well.

Headmaster, Government Middle School, Dabkauri, Haryana