After 14 years Ram katha in Fiji
The people of Fiji acquired the opportunity to listen to Shri Ram Charit Manas Katha by Pujya Bhaishri. The katha was hosted by the Hindu Foundation of Fiji. It was held at the Govind Park stadium in ‘Ba’ town where a huge marquee accommodating thousands of people was built. This was Pujya Bhaishri’s third visit to Fiji. During the last visit 14 years ago, Pujya Bhaishri narrated the Shrimad Bhagavat Katha.
When the grand shobha yatra arrived at the venue, Pujya Bhaishri and the Pothiji was welcomed by a band of youngsters holding diyas. Thereafter, the Chairman of the Hindu foundation delivered his address welcoming Pujya Bhaishri and the assembled devotees.
During the katha, Pujya Bhaishri guided people on how to proceed in the path of devotion to God and therefore realise and attain Ram.
A significant part of the discourse was Pujya Bhaishri’s emphatic advice to people to give up the addiction of intoxicants and narcotics. Consumption of ‘Youngona’ is quite prevalent in Fiji. It is an intoxicant that weakens the body and makes one lethargic. Having found out about this addiction, Pujya Bhaishri advised people through the Ram katha to quit this harmful addiction. He said that the human body is the creation of Lord Shri Ram which gets defiled by consumption of harmful substances like liquor and non-vegetarian food. It is prohibited to consume alcohol and non-vegetarian food within the precincts of the temple built by us. Similarly, our body is build by Shri Ram. Hence we should not insult our bodies by such destructive substances.
Shri Ram pragatya and Shri Sita Ram vivah were celebrated with much merriment and fanfare.
With the intention that the people of other towns would also benefit from Pujya Bhaishri’s visit to Fiji, the Hindu Foundation organised his lectures in Lambasa, Suva and Naadi. In one of the towns Pujya Bhaishri also addressed school children. At the radio station of Suva, an interview of Pujya Bhaishri was recorded for an hour. In the interview, Pujya Bhaishri thanked the Indian people of Fiji and praised them for maintaining our culture in spite of leaving in a foreign country. Pujya Bhaishri’s recorded Ram Katha is being relayed on Fiji’s radio station daily in the evenings.
