Celebrating Buddha Poornima 2012 with Patriji in Pyramid Valley

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What is Buddha Poornima

The Vaisakha Poornima (full moon day of the first Lunar month) is known as Buddha Poornima Goutama Buddha the founder of Buddhism had taken birth on this day. It is believed that Buddha also got enlightened on the same Vaishakha poornima and also passed away on the same day of Vaisakha Poornima.

Where is Pyramid Valley

From Bangalore City, drive towards Kanakpura on National Highway 209. After a few kms you will cross NICE ring road. Then after about 18 kms you will find a sign board to take a left turn for Buddha Pyramid.

I had given more details on the route and other info on pyramid valley in my previous article. Please refer the details of pyramid valley in the following links. http://freejournal.heliohost.org/freejournal/?/articles/2012/03/25/maitreya-buddha-pyramid-bangalore.html

Registration for Participation

Buddha Poornima is celebrated every year in Pyramid valley. Brahmarshi Patriji conducts his music meditation through his mesmerizing flute performance. This year (2012) the Buddha poornima was celebrated during 4^th-6^th May 2012.

The participation to the celebration was based on Registration. The registration charges were Rs 450/- per person for all three days, which included daily 3 times food and shared accommodation inside the pyramid valley.

1^st day of Buddha Poornima Celebration

We reached there in 4^th May morning, the first day of celebration. We got of participants’ badges from the reception. We saw a queue for the breakfast and got into the queue. That time there were about a thousand people, but many more were just flowing in.

Our accommodation was inside the Pyramid. Generally the pyramid is meant for meditation only. But only during Buddha poornima celebration, a large number of participants are accommodated inside the pyramid, because of shortage of general accommodation.

Maitreya-Buddha Pyramid is world’s largest meditational pyramid. The size of the pyramid is 160ft. x 160ft. Height 102 ft (equivalent to 10 floor building). To know more about Buddha Pyramid, please read my previous article in journalsite:

http://journalsite.tk/journalsite/articles/viewarticle.asp?articleid=213

During daytime there were some spiritual classes. Some experienced people shared their experiences on spiritual journey. Below is a picture of the classroom.



During lunch time I noticed a crowd was moving near lunch area. When I went near the crowd I saw the crowd was around Brahmarshi Patriji. People were shaking their hands with Patriji and conveying their wishes. I also had the privilege of shaking hands with Patriji (picture below).



The evening started with an inaugural function. That was the first of the three-day celebration. The celebration was conducted at the amphitheatre inside the pyramid valley. There was a huge gathering of about five thousand people.



There were three eminent guests who delivered their valuable speeches. Patriji was a perfect anchor on the stage, coordinating the guests and participants, sometimes interpreting English speeches into Telugu and sometimes stimulating the crowd with humorous comments. After the spiritual lectures, music and cultural programs continued on the stage while people slowly moved for dinner at their convenience.

2^nd day of Buddha Poornima Celebration

The second day morning started with a music meditation at 5 AM. We were woken up at 4.30 to attend the meditation. Brahmarshi Partriji was playing flute with three others artists on other instruments. All the participants were sitting on meditation (picture below), some on chairs and some on the lawn.



Meditating on the flute music was a beautiful experience. Besides Patriji’s performance on flute was also extraordinary. As getting up at 4.30 AM was difficult for many, some participants were taking their nice sleep in the name of meditation. After music meditation Patriji spoke on Buddha poornima and spirituality. Overall it was a fantastic experience.

We had to make queues for breakfast and bathrooms. Some preferred to go to toilet first and some preferred to have breakfast first. When I saw a big crowd near toilets I decided to have breakfast first fearing that the food might finish if I make late.



After breakfast I thought to explore the valley. When I walked behind about half km, I discovered a beautiful Shani temple. There was a remarkably big anthill near the Shani temple (picture above). After visiting Shani temple I came back to the program.



During daytime there were spiritual classes (picture above). Besides, there was also a dance performance by Pyramid Spiritual Science Academy, Bangalore. In the afternoon some of us we went to Tapasthali, about half km on hillside inside the pyramid valley.



There is a beautiful statue of lord Shiva in Tapasthali. Many people were doing meditation near the shiva statue. From Tapasthali we could see the Pyramid nicely. The views of the hills and the valley were beautiful. I could also see the shani temple from distance which I visited in the morning.

The evening program started at 5 PM in amphitheatre. There were two guests who delivered their speech. Patriji also mesmerized the audience with his beautiful songs and speeches. There was lot of music and cultural program afterwards while the dinner was going on simultaneously.

3^rd day of Buddha Poornima Celebration

The 3^rd day morning again we were woken up at 4.30 to attend the music meditation at 5 AM. Patriji was on flute with three other artists, who were on tabla, violin and mandolin (picture below). All the people were enjoying the flute and doing meditation at the same time



The third day was the last day of the celebration as well as the full moon day or birthday of Lord Buddha. After the music meditation, Patriji spoke on Buddha, Meditation, Pyramid Meditation, Pyramid Masters and on other spiritual concepts. He spoke about the concept of “Maitri”, “Karuna”, “Mudita” and “Upeksha” the four methods of dealing with others.

After the morning program, we had to stand on long queues for food. The food area was near the amphitheatre (the program area) which was about half a km away from the toilet area. Although it was very irritating to walk half a km for going to toilet, soon I realized the benefits, as it was a good compulsory exercise to digest the food and stay active.



The lunch queue was longer than the previous days (probably there were more participants on the last day). There were about six food counters (three starting counters and three repeat counters), but there were endless queues near each food counter. Some wise foodies like me were taking the food plate and standing immediately in the queue near repeat counter, finishing the food plate while standing in the queue.



Before evening program, we saw Patriji walking near the Pyramid surrounded by a large number of followers (picture above). People were shaking hands with him. Some people were having quick interactions. Patriji was also wishing people in different styles.

The evening program started as usual at 5 PM. Patriji gave his valuable speech to the audience. Patriji is not only a spiritual leader he is many in one. He was coordinating all the programs on the stage as the main anchor; he was interpreting speeches in between Hindi, English and Telugu, honoring the guests with shawls and gifts and doing many other activities on the stage. His songs (prayers) and speeches were very inspiring.



The evening program continued with cultural programs, songs, music and dances by various artists. There was also a group meditation till late night. It was the night of the celebration, the full moon day, the auspicious birthday of Lord Buddha.

At the end

My experience went fine with all the events of the three-day celebration. The participants were mostly from Andhra Pradesh, followed by Bangalore, followed by other places. I was quite impressed to see such a big crowd coming from different parts of the country. In my guess there were more than five thousand participants.

Personally I liked Patriji’s flute performance and spiritual speeches. He says he is against all doctors and healers of any kind. He advises to live without fear of death and be ready to accept death happily at anytime. Some of his speeches are to be understood not just by words but in right context with appropriate spiritual maturity .

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