Special Bhajan Sandhya in Omkarananda-Kamakshi-Devi Mandir
by Bhajan-Mandali from Rishikesh on 8th January 2006

Though it was a very cold North Indian winter-day, eleven nice Ladies and four children came specially from Rishikesh to our Omkarananda-Kamakshi-Devi Mandir to contribute to the holy atmosphere of our beautiful temple with their lively and joyous Bhajans. The Ladies Bhajan-Mandali was guided by a devotional Lady, Mrs. Varshney, the wife of a leading educationist of this area, Dr. Varshney, former Principal Bharat Mandir Inter College and President of Education Point, Rishikesh. Swami Vishveshwaranandaji, President of Omkarananda Ashram, Kumari Somashekhari, Secretary of Omkarananda Ashram, all the Omkarananda Ashram Pandits and Dr. Varshney, Dr. I.D. Joshi, also a great educationist, and devotees from the surrounding area took part in this event.

It was a wonderful experience for all our Ashramites, Temple-priests and others, when the Ladies started singing their simple, but very joyous and powerful Bhajans in front of our Omkarananda-Kamakshi-Devi. The Ladies themselves also played the Dholak and Manjiras to give a nice rhythm to their devotional songs. On special request of the Ladies Kumari Somashekhari danced to one of their favourite Bhajans in the Temple Mandap, in front of Omkarananda-Kamakshi-Devi. Afterwards some Ladies from the Bhajan Mandali also got inspired and started devotional dancing to the beautiful Bhajans. It was such a nice experience for everybody to take part in devotional singing and dancing for the Divinities.

Afterwards, as every day, around sunset, a grand Arati was performed for Omkarananda-Kamakshi-Devi, in which also everybody from the Bhajan-Mandali took part. Many Ladies had come for the first time to Omkarananda-Kamakshi-Devi Mandir and they expressed their deep admiration for its extraordinary beauty.

After the Arati Swami Vishveshwaranandaji thanked all Ladies from the Rishikesh-Bhajan-Mandali for coming here and he presented them with Prasadam and gifts.