On the 15th of February, a Hanuman Havan was held by Chinmaya Mission Mumbai. This day saw many devotees gather to chant the Hanuman Chalisa 108 times for world peace, and in the wake of the recent events in Mumbai. Co-incidentally, it was also Swami Swaroopanand’s fiftieth birthday and his hundredth gnana yagna (public talks on Hanuman chalisa), which made the day extra-special. Written by Sant Tulsidasji, the Hanuman Chalisa is a invocation prayer to Lord Hanuman and is in the form of a poem which comprises of forty verses, or chaupais.

Chanting the Hanuman Chalisa was an immensely enjoyable experience, we were lucky to have such an event held at our local ashram led by Br Gopalji, enhanced by the complementing music of the tabla and the tambourines in the background. Many devotees chanted dedicatedly for the entire duration of seven hours, even though it was quite difficult to ignore the pins and needles and the pangs of hunger for some! A “happy hour” was also held for those who weren’t able to attend for the whole time. The aarti and birthday songs at the end were a great way to conclude a very eventful, energizing and a vibrant experience.

All-in-all, it was a very uplifting experience personally, and I look forward to many such events in the future!