Swami Vishwanandaji and Brahmachari Bhadranandaji from SRF Mother Centre visited YSS Dwarahat Ashram from January 24 to 28, 2019. They were accompanied by Brahmachari Chaitanyanandaji from YSS Ranchi Ashram.
Arrival of Monastics
Arriving on January 24, the sannyasis received a warm welcome from Swami Vasudevanandaji and Brahamachari Nirliptanandaji, accompanied by devotees, volunteers and staff of YSS Dwarhat Ashram.
The monastics offered their pranams at the altar in the Dhyan Mandir.
Republic Day Celebrations
Two days after their arrival, the visiting monastics were invited as guests of honour at the Republic Day celebrations in the Yogoda Balkrishnalaya on January 26.
The students of this charitable primary school run by the Dwarahat Ashram of Yogoda Satsanga Society of India (YSS) presented a wonderful cultural programme to commemorate the occasion.
The programme began with the hoisting of the national flag by Swami Vasudevanandaji. The children sang the national anthem. Aman Kumar, a student in the fifth standard of the school, led a group of students in raising a few patriotic slogans on this day.
This was followed by a cosmic chant and a brief period of meditation.
Naitik Pandey, another bright student from the fifth standard of the school, flawlessly recited Rabindranath Tagore’s poem 'Where the mind is without fear.' The little ones then presented a few patriotic and inspirational songs which were applauded by the attendees.
Swami Vasudevanandaji addressed the students and guests. He appreciated the enthusiasm of the students and spoke of how this inspired him.
He shared with them learnings from his recent visit to Indore, in Madhya Pradesh, for Janmotsav celebrations. Not only had the city of Indore won the prize for the cleanest city in India for two years in a row, but was also expecting to win the title this year as well. Further, he shared that the children of the city had taken it upon themselves to keep their city clean. He was told that the young ones also pushed their parents and others to help them in this endeavour and asked them not to litter. He said if the children of Yogoda could also follow this example, Dwarahat could also become clean very soon and continue to maintain its cleanliness, just as Indore.
The gathering then sang the national song, 'Vande Mataram.' 
Following this programme, Swami Vishwanandaji, along with Brahmacharis Bhadranandaji and Chaitanyanandaji inaugurated the renovated computer laboratory of the school. It had recently received three new laptops to be used by the children.
Swami Vishwanandaji then addressed the students, in English. His words were translated by Swami Vasudevanandaji and shared with the students and other attendees.
Swami Vishwanandaji reminisced about the days when he visited Dwarahat as a young monastic.
Talking of the Dwarahat he had seen nearly forty years ago, he said that there were no buildings other than the Ashram during those days. Although he was born in the United States and had studied there, coming to India only during his youth, he said that India felt like home to him.
He told the children that if they studied, played and worked hard, and also meditated, asking Guruji to help and guide them, their future would be very bright.
Swami Vishwanandaji distributed copies of Gurudeva Sri Sri Paramahansa Yoganandaji's world best-selling spiritual classic, the Autobiography of a Yogi to the teachers and staff of the school. All attendees received prasad from Swamiji. The children also got an opportunity to get pictures clicked with the visiting sannyasis, Swami Vishwanandaji and Brahmachari Bhadranandaji.
Departure of SRF monastics
On the morning of January 28, Swami Vishwanandaji, Brahmacharis Bhadranandaji and Chaitanyanandaji were given a farewell by the schoolchildren from Yogoda Bakrishnalaya.
The little ones lined up from the Dhyan Mandir to the Ashram gate, along with their teachers, volunteers, devotees and staff, to bid farewell to the sannyasis.
