Samaradhana is a unique event – a revamp of the age-old tradition when a tirtha yatri would host ganga-puja upon one’s return, to offer gratitude to Mother Ganga for a successful yatra. In those times Tirtha Yatra was not just a tour but a celebration of devotion and a spiritual awakening. Skanda Purana states that any tirtha yatra is considered complete when a tirtha yatri conducts Ganga-puja and offers brahmana bhojana after returning. People would throng in hundreds just to have darshan of a tirtha yatri who returned safely as such darshan would accrue the same punya of embarking on a tirtha yatra.
When people moved into cities for development, such practices were forgotten. People forgot the original purpose of a pilgrimage. The religious tours became just the symbol of status and a mere tick on one’s bucketlist. Even if someone wanted to host such a event, it would involve a lot of time of operational work and of course a lot of finance. In today’s world where the time is more valuable than money, such events are often termed as inessential and thus neglected.
For the first time in the history of religious tourism, Tirtha Yatra has attempted to revive this age-old tradition connecting our Yatris to the very purpose of a Tirtha Yatra and capture its spiritual essence.
The event began with the welcome speech by Sri Agrani Krishna Dasa, the Founder-Managing Director of Tirtha Yatra who spoke about establishing one’s connection with God during the pilgrimage – the lost purpose of the sacred tours. A Ganga-puja and Narasimha Yajna was performed for all the Yatris, followed by a delicious feast of prasadam – a signature aspect of Tirtha Yatra tours.
By leading the Narasimha Bhajan, Sri Agrani Krishna Dasa revoked the memories of the divine moments of Tirtha Yatra when every Yatri comes together to invoke the blessings of Lord Narasimha for a successful day during the tour. He also narrated the enchanting makhan-chori lila of Sri Krishna in Vrindavana.
Sri Panduranga Dasa – the cofounder-CEO of Tirtha Yatra, along with Sri Anand Santhanam – Director were also present during the event. Samaradhana in Chennai was also a reunion of Tirtha Yatris – a family that is bound together with a single purpose of relishing darshan of their ishta-devata and the unforgettable memories of Tirtha Yatras.
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