City of Suwanee honors Sri Sri Sri Viswayogi Viswamjee Maharaj
Text and Photo
By Mahadev Desai
The City of Suwanee Mayor Dave Williams hosted a warm welcome
reception for Sri Sri Sri Viswayogi Viswamjee Maharaj who is on
a U.S.tour and is currently in Atlanta, at the Suwanee City
Hall, Suwanee, Georgia.
Prior to Swamiji’s arrival, Narayana Murthy, from Jacksonville,
Florida, who is an ardent disciple of Swamiji for number of
years and also one of the coordinators of his visits to U.S.gave
a brief background of Swamiji’s early career, his mission and
goal and his ceaseless efforts in spreading message of universal
integration, peace, love and brotherhood and in helping the poor
and needy, to the Mayor Williams.
The Mayor and the venerable Swamiji with a flowing white beard,
and clad in orange silk dress greeted each other and sat down on
a sofa. Swamiji, born in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, is a spiritual
humanist, an embodiment of the divine and unconditional love.
Dr.Sreeni Gangasani; Madhavi Gangasani; Narayana Murthy;Uma
Maheswar Reddy, Srikanthi Vantipalli;City Manager Marvin Allen;
Public Information Officer Lynne De Wilde;media representative Mahadev Desai listened as Swamiji and the
Mayor engaged in a lighthearted conversation in which the
Swamiji shared some nuggets of spiritual wisdom his work in
spreading the message of love and peace.
Swamiji who is no stranger to the U.S. said that he regards the
world as his home and coming to the U.S. from India is like
moving from one room into another in a home. He further compared
the world to a human body and said that the U.S.is like its head
because it is a magnet for all intellectuals in the world. He
said he enjoys coming to the U.S.to meet his devotees who have
settled in different parts of the country. Swamiji stressed that
change must begin with the individual first. “Self discipline,
self control, avoiding blind pursuit of fame and wealth, respect
for all faiths, mutual love and respect and peaceful
co-existence are most important for survival” he said. “Let us
also make the mother planet an abode of peace. Natural
calamities are caused by an imbalance in the ratio of five
elements-earth, water, fire, air and space. Similarly human body
also falls prey to killer diseases like cancer, stroke, and
heart disease; so let us all strive to prevent pollution of the
environment and take care of our bodies through healthy
lifestyle. I feel honored to be invited to address the World
Youth Conference on climate change’ he added.
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City Mgr.Marvin Allen;Srikanthi
Vantipalli;,Mayor Dave Williams, Swamiji,
Dr.Sreeni Gangasani; Narayana Murthy;Uma Maheswar Reddy |
Swamiji informed the gathering of Viswanagar, an 18 acre
spiritual abode established in 1991, 10 miles from Guntur,
Andhra Pradesh. It has Viswamandiram, with eight entrances,
seven of which are for different major faiths and the eighth for
non-believers. Under the guidance of Swamiji, since 1998,
medical camps provided free medical services to the poor and the
needy in the rural areas. A world-class, multi-specialty
charitable hospital- Viswayogi Institute of Medical Science VIMS
- Mother & Child Care Hospital was inaugurated on April 3rd
2008, by Former President of India, Hon. Dr. Abdul Kalaam, who
is also VIMS’ Honorary Chair. VIMS is now providing quality
service free of cost to the needy. So far, the medical camps and
VIMS have provided free medical services to over 28,000 poor and
needy people.
The Mayor thanked Swamiji for his interesting and highly
informative words of wisdom and presented him with a
commemorative plaque conferring honorary citizenship of City of
Suwanee on the Swamiji. Swamiji graciously reciprocated by
draping a shawl on the Mayor William’s shoulders and presenting
him with a framed Certificate conferring ‘The Distinguished
Service Award’
Swamiji led the gathering into singing an uplifting devotional
song. The reception concluded with the Mayor thanking the
Swamiji
saying, “We appreciate all your good work and good friendship.
We share your ideals and values and will remember your words of
sound advice.”
Dr Sreeni Gangasani, a well known and respected Cardiologist
commented, “My wife Madhavi and I enjoyed the reception
ceremony. He is doing a wonderful service to the humanity by
spreading his message of universal integration and world peace.
I would love to volunteer my services in the VIMS hospital run
by Swamiji in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh during my visits to India.”
For more information, please see
http://www.viswaguru.com/
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