The BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Parsippany,NJ celebrated the 95th birthday of their guru, His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj on December 19, 2015. Devotees came together to commemorate the many years Pramukh Swami Maharaj has dedicated to guiding the lives of individuals all over the world. Their heartfelt prayers were exemplified through the theme of this year’s program, “Shatam Jiva Sharadaha (May you live long)”.

Devotees of all ages came together to prepare this program. Youths rehearsed for weeks before the festival, practicing devotional songs and traditional dances to share their enthusiasm and love for their guru with the program attendees. They also prepared skits and speeches reminiscing on the influence that Pramukh Swami Maharaj has had on individuals.

“Swamishri’s life is filled with countless incidents of selfless love for individuals and dedication to cultivating spirituality in communities around the world”, said Shyam Bhorania, a participant in the program.  “Today, through this celebration, we tried to relive some of those moments to provide a better appreciation of his continuous spiritual service.”

The celebration united the participants of the program with the audience through celebrating and learning from the exemplary life of Pramukh Swami Maharaj. Throughout his life, he has traveled to all corners of the world and positively impacted the lives of countless individuals.  Even to this day, at the age of 95 and leader of BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, he continues to inspire and advocate for the betterment of individuals, families, and communities.