The Acharya of the NarNarayan Dev Gadi, Ahmedabad, HH
1008 Shree Tejendraprasadji Maharajshri was appointed
by his father, the Late Acharya Maharaj 1008 Shree Devendraprasadji
Maharajshri. His Holiness was enthroned as Acharya on Aaso
Sud 2, Vikram Samvat 2025 (13 October 1969).
His
Holiness took up the responsibilities of the
Sampraday on the orders of Acharya Shree Devendraprasadji
Maharaj from the tender age of 14 years. Accompanied
by learned saints, His Holiness travelled to
East Africa to nurture the Satsang there.
Following
steadfastly in the steps of his Great Grand
Father, His Holiness gave up his further studies
to care for Acharya Maharajshri Devendraprasadji
Maharaj in his days of ill-health - just as
Ghanshyam Maharaj had cared for His parents
in their times of ill-health.
His
Holiness is always kind, peaceful, just and
loving towards all. Despite all the pressures
of the ever-expanding Sampraday, one never witnesses
a sign of fatigue on his body. Neither does
His Holiness turn down requests from followers
to attend festivals, padhramnis, etc. Ably supported
by HH Lalji Maharajshri (Acharya-Designate)
Koshalendraprasadji Maharaj, who has incidentally
taken up much of the Satsang propagation duties,
Acharya Maharajshri now instils the same ideals
of Satsang seva in his grandson, Bal Lalji Maharajshri
Vrajendraprasadji Maharaj.
In
over 30 years of tireless service to the Sampraday,
His Holiness' accomplishments are too numerous
to list here. The following is but a summary
of the facts detailed in 'Dharma Setu', His
Holiness' biography produced in 1994 during
the Silver Jubilee & Golden Jubilee Festival:
Educational
Establishments
Accommodating over 8,000 male & female students
- Shree Sahajanand
Arts & Commerce College
- Shree Swaminarayan
Vidyaalay (Boarding), Bhuj
- Shree Sahajanand
Elementary School
- Shree Sahajanand
Primary School
- Shree Sahajanand
High School
- Shree Sahajanand
Multi-Course Academy
- Shree Sahajanand
Vaanijay Mahavidyaalay (Commerce College)
Gurukuls/Sanskar
Dhams : located at Asaarva, Abu, Jhilvana,
Gandhidham, Kalol, Jetalpur, Koteshwar, Mandvi,
Chiloda, Idar, Rampur, Saayla, Siddhpur, etc.
NarNarayan
Dev Yuvak Mandal (NNDYM) : His Holiness
established branches of the NNDYM all over the
Northern Zone, under the careful and calculated
guidance of HH Lalji Maharajshri (Acharya-Designate)
Koshalendraprasadji Maharaj. The organisation's
membership exceeds tens of thousands of youth
from all backgrounds - students, professionals,
businesspersons, etc. tree planting, blood donation
camps, religious camps, conferences, seminars,
workshops, etc. and processions are but a few
of the activities undertaken so far.
International
Swaminarayan Satsang Organisation (ISSO)
: His Holiness established the ISSO on Vijya
Dashmi in 1978 in USA. Today, the organisation
spans the world with active groups in all the
continents. It is particularly active in USA
& UK, where regular camps and conferences nurture
the young and mould them into worthy satsangis
of the future.
Bhagwan
Shree Swaminarayan's 200th Birthday Celebrations
: 1981 saw numerous celebrations to commemorate
The Almighty's Bi-Centennial birthday. The largest
of these were at Ahmedabad, Bhuj & Muli. The
renowned Pundit Late Dongreji Maharaj recited
the Shreemad Bhagwat Katha at the Ahmedabad
festival where hundreds of thousands of devotees
gathered. A few days later, His Holiness travelled
to Kutch and presided over the festival in Bhuj,
under the able stewardship of the resident saints.
This was soon followed by the event at Muli,
which was celebrated with grand pomp.
His Holiness Acharya Maharajshri's Silver
& Golden Jubilee Festival : In 1994,
His Holiness completed 25 years as Acharya of
the Northern Zone & reached his 50th birthday.
The Sampraday came together to celebrate this
momentous occasion with His Holiness. Never
one to think of himself first, His Holiness
ordered that any funds raised from the event
should be used to re-construct the dilapidated
temple at the birthplace of Bhagwan Shree Swaminarayan,
in Chhapaiya. The followers, always eager to
fulfil all His Holiness' wishes, did just that.
Today, the temple re-construction is complete.
The new temple now stands proudly as a testament
to Shreeji Maharaj’s glory.
HH
Lalji Maharajshri correctly taught us during
the Silver & Golden Jubilee Festival, to pray
to Bhagwan Shree Swaminarayan that we should
never ever be without indebtedness to His Holiness
Acharya Maharajshri. His Holiness' sacrifices
for this Sampraday and us satsangis are beyond
contemplation. Long may you (HH Acharya Maharajshri)
lead us out of the darkness of spiritual ignorance
and away from the temptations of this material
world.