Exactly 100 years ago i.e. on 22^nd March 1917, in trying to fulfil his dream of spiritually training young minds, Gurudev Paramahansa Yogananda started a small school with a group of 7 boys at Dihika. Looking back we can see, that unmistakeably this step was the harbinger of the huge organisation he would establish, namely Yogoda Satsanga Society of India / Self Realization Fellowship.  The very school site has now evolved the present Dihika Dhyana Kendra as well as a retreat centre.

To celebrate the completion of 100 years after the humble beginning of this great spiritual movement, a one day pilgrimage to the school site was planned on 21^st March during the 5 day Sangam organised at Ranchi during 19^th March to 23^rd March 2017. Almost all the 1500 devotees who attended the sangam participated in this pilgrimage.

The onward journey

A procession of all the devotees started at 5 am from the Ranchi ashram to the railway station, carrying a beautifully decorated palki with Guruji’s picture. The elderly devotees were provided bus arrangement to go to the railway station. At the station a special train which was fully booked for the pilgrimage arrived from the dock and halted at the platform. First the sanitation volunteers with brooms, brushes, buckets and other toiletries cleaned the train compartments. Next the decoration volunteers decorated the train with garlands. Specific compartment and seat numbers were allotted to each devotee and this made the seating arrangement hassle free.  Along with the devotees in each of the 15 compartments there were at least 3 monastics. The train started sharp at its scheduled time from the Ranchi station.

First, a group meditation led by the monastics was conducted in each of the 15 compartments. This included an opening prayer, chanting, period of meditation, praying for others, healing technique and a closing prayer.

Breakfast followed immediately after the meditation and the kitchen and ushering volunteers helped the monastics in serving the breakfast.  After the breakfast devotees enthusiastically sang bhajans and cosmic chants. Fruit juices and water were served intermittently. Even after the lunch some groups continued to sing bhajans also.    

The train reached Damodar station by noon, where everyone alighted and following about half kilometre trek reached the Dihika Dhyana Kendra. Welcome banners had been put along the roads. The whole village was awaiting arrival of the train and warmly welcomed the pilgrims, showering them with marigold flowers and blowing conch shells.

At Dihika

After reaching the Kendra, Swami Vishwanandaji led the Energization Exercises. After this, a light snack was served to all the devotees, followed by a period of meditation.  Later, Sws. Vishwanandaji and Smarananandaji spoke about how the society grew to its present stature and what can be our contribution or how we can serve our guruji’s society as it grows further. After the satsanga, Pushpanjali was offered at the memorial site, the place where Guruji went into samadhi when he revisited the site in his 1935-36 tour. On this occasion, Swami Vishwanandaji planted a sapling of the Ranchi litchi tree on the ground facing the pond and devotees participated in the tree plantation event.    

It was inspiring to see so many devotees meditating and attending Satsangas, overcoming the hot weather and relatively limited space for 1500 pilgrims. On this occasion, a new momento with Dihika school brick piece was made available for sale.

The return journey

Around 4.30 pm, Energization Exercises were conducted following which the devotees joined in a procession toward the Dihika railway station, singing bhajans and cosmic chants.  The pilgrims boarded the train at 7:30 pm. The local devotees lovingly came to the station waved goodbye to everyone.

As soon as the train started the devotees were led into chanting and group meditation and healing prayers by the monastics, following which the dinner was served.

During the whole pilgrimage, Guruji’s love and joy could be seen overflowing everywhere and it seemed that the following words from Guruji’s autobiography were truly made manifest:”The whole train is filled with the light of Master’s aura! He is there!” The train finally reached the Ranchi station by midnight leaving an unforgettable experience for all the pilgrims.