The 130th birthday of the founder of the Bharat Sevashram Sangha, Swami Pranavananda Maharaj, was celebrated with a large and vibrant procession in South Kolkata.

Thousands of devotees, students from different schools and colleges, clubs, and religious organizations followed the procession, which was led by mounted monks.

Along with martial arts demonstrations, representations of various deities, and tribal Dhamsha Madal performances from Purulia and Bankura, people from various districts of the state joined the procession.

The procession started at around 1:30 PM on Monday in front of the Bharat Sevashram Sangha headquarters in Ballygunge, Kolkata.

It then passed through Rashbehari Avenue, Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Road, Ashutosh Mukherjee Road, Ramesh Mitra Road, Sarat Bose Road, and Hazra Road before returning to Ballygunge.

Swami Bishwatmananda Maharaj, the Principal Secretary of the Sangha, inaugurated the procession, with local councilor Sudarshana Mukherjee who also graced the occasion.

According to Swami Bishwatmananda Maharaj, the occasion was planned to commemorate Shivratri as well as the anniversary of Swami Pranavananda’s birth.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, the Sangha’s headquarters will host a two-day Hindu religious and cultural conference that will include speeches from many distinguished figures.

During Shivratri, special preparations are being made to make it easier for devotees to worship Lord Shiva, with the help of volunteers and monks.

Priyanka Dutta