Sadhu Vaswani Mission held its 58th Annual Rath Yatra on November 23 in Pune to mark the 145th birth anniversary of saint Sadhu Vaswani.
A tradition since 1966, it drew participants from around the world walking for ahimsa & animal rights. The procession began at 5pm from Sadhu Vaswani Mission, and went through the streets in Pune Camp and ended by 8pm back at the Mission.
The highlight of the yatra was the rath, a custom-made, spaceship-like vehicle featuring a lifelike statue of Sadhu Vaswani and a standee of Dada JP Vaswani. The rath was taken through the streets, covering a 5-kilometer stretch through Pune Camp. The streets came alive with devotion and purpose as Didi Krishna Kumari, Head of Sadhu Vaswani Mission, led the yatra and distributed prasad to the participants and passerbys.
The procession included floats showcasing various messages of compassion & floats with singers singing bhajans and kirtans, with hundreds of people walking and chanting along in the yatra.
Two halts were made at Pudumjee Compound and Kohinoor Hotel. Recorded talk of Dada JP Vaswani was played to inspire the gathering. Speaking at the halts, Didi Krishna emphasized Sadhu Vaswani’s message of love and compassion for all beings and urged people to observe Meatless Day on November 25. She also stated that a vegetarian diet is the best option for natural health and healing.
One of the participants, Bina from Mauritius said, “It was a soulful journey that spiritually uplifted me. It’s an out of the world experience.”
