JOIN USHanuman Chalisa: Seer enters Guinness records
The Mysuru based Avadhootha Datta Peetha seer Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda has entered Guinness Book of World Records for conducting mass Hanuman Chalisa chanting involving 1.29 lakh devotees at Tenali town in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh on January 31.
The citation issued by the official adjudicator of the Guinness Book, Fortuna Burke to the seer on the same day, states that Sachchidananda led the event with maximum people chanting the Chalisa, in Tenali, Andhra Pradesh (India), on 31 January 2015.
Disclosing this to media at his ashram here on Wednesday, the 72-year-old seer said, he was a three year old boy, when he was inspired by his mother to spread Hanuman Chalisa among the people.
“It laid the foundation for the conglomeration in Tenali, that also turned out to be the biggest ever,” he said.
The seer claimed that even scientifically, it was believed that the vibrations generated from the mass chantings reverberate for years, that helps “create a healthy society”.
Delving on the record feat, the seer said the session lasted six hours starting from 6 am on the day, involving 1,29,918 devotees (according to the computerised entry data), chanting the Chalisa 27 times.
The seer claimed that the Guinness record had surprised him, as he was not aware of it. “I took part in the programme like other routine sessions,” he said.
Secretary to the seer, Prasad said the programme was conducted following a request from Varadarajan and Sambi Reddy from Tenail three months ahead of the same.
A wide publicity was given for one month, with the help of eight vehicles, while a make-shift pandal spread over 12 lakh square feet was erected for the purpose. To ensure hassle free arrangements for the participating devotees, mass feeding was arranged for two lakh people, while a temporary kitchen was set up on four acres of land, with 300 cooks and 500 assistants on the job.
Parking arrangements were made on 18 acres plot, with majority of 12 acres for car parking only. The programme was also screened on the 18 LED screens put up at the same venue, while the Musilm Yuva Vedike at Tenali distributed water and butter milk to the devotees.
Former minister S A Ramdas, also a devotee at the Mutt said that efforts will be made to organise a similar programme in Mysuru too.
Mass chanting
Reacting to media queries, Sachchidananda seer said he hoped to conduct mass Hanuman Chalisa chanting with 130 crore people (India’s population) in combined platforms, with the sole aim of national peace and health. It will start from Tenali and is expected to be completed within one year of its launch, he said.
At Opera House
The seer will also be the first ever Indian musician to perform at the main hall of the Opera House, Sydney, Australia on April 16. According to Prasad, no Indian musician has had an opportunity to perform here so far. Though renowned playback singer Latha Mangeshkar performed at the Opera 30 years ago, it had been in a different hall, he said.
In Mysuru
On February 16 at 6 pm, the seer will present a music programme titled ‘Shukha Brahma Nada Sangeetha’, at Rajendra Kalamandir, on Ramanuja road. On the eve, as many as 1,500 devotees will render the compositions of the seer.