(2005-11-30) The Prem Rawat Foundation / Willow Baker
Maharaji recently completed a brief but successful tour in rural India. Entire villages came to these events, and nearly half a million people in total were able to hear his message of peace. In a very poor area, one attendee said, “I am surprised that such a great teacher has come to our doorstep.”
New Delhi, India — On a recent tour of rural India, Prem Rawat presented his message of peace to nearly half a million people. This was the first time that Prem Rawat, widely known as Maharaji, has traveled into the villages and smaller towns of India, enabling thousands of people leading isolated lives to hear him.
Dhanlaxmi Patel, a payroll assistant, reported: "It really helped that Maharaji was able to come to Surat (a town in the state of Gujarat). We invited about 150 of our friends and family. They loved the event and really appreciated the fact that Prem Rawat had come to their area. They said they would not have been able to travel very far to see him because of the cost and also because they live a village lifestyle which keeps them close to home. They felt honored to have him visit their town. One person said she wanted to go back to her own village and tell everybody there."
“With so many events, the tour was a logistical challenge,” said R.K. Malik, the tour coordinator. “But each place had a good team of volunteers. It was very enjoyable for me and went smoothly. It was amazing to see tens of thousands of people assemble quietly and peacefully. Everywhere, after the event, people asked how they could learn more. We have planned satellite broadcasts of Prem Rawat's addresses every Sunday for three months. With a generator and a portable satellite dish, even remote villages can get the broadcasts and learn more.”
Another guest said: "I was expecting to see a big procession and lots of rituals performed like these Indian gurus do, but in fact what I saw was simple. No fuss. No waste of time. A very clear message: life matters, you can make the most of it, and here is how. Some of what he said I feel I already knew but had not looked at as clearly and simply as he helped me to do."
Laxmi Srina, a seamstress who attended an event near Hardiwar, said: “Having listened to him, I want to find the truth about important things in my life that I usually choose to ignore. Listening to him has ignited a search in me for truth, clarity, and peace within.”
Vandeana Singh, a website designer from Delhi, went to the same event near Haridwar and commented, "The environment was very beautiful, with mountains rising behind the stage. Around 70,000 people attended." One of the friends she had invited from college expressed her thanks, saying, "This is not like a lecture from college. This has changed my life. The college lecturer improves my worldly future, but Prem Rawat has changed my whole life. I want to help Prem Rawat in his noble work.”
Another attendee, who came from a poor area, said, "I introduced people in my village to Prem Rawat and his message. Eight of my friends came to the event. One of them said, ‘I am surprised that such a great teacher has come to our doorstep.'”
Mitesh Desai, a doctor, said: "For 50,000 people to get together to listen to one man speak was amazing. The silence was incredible. The police who were there for security looked bewildered because there was nothing for them to do."
Prem Rawat’s ability to reach people from all walks of life, in whatever circumstances they are in, is truly unique. He travels the world year-round to bring his message of peace to as many people as possible. These recent events in rural areas have been a breakthrough in Prem Rawat's work in India, and there is high demand for more in the future.
The Prem Rawat Foundation promotes Prem Rawat’s message of peace and spearheads significant humanitarian initiatives around the world. To discover more, visit: The Prem Rawat Foundation http://tprf.org/Maharaji/Maharaji.htm
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