Sivananda Digvijay Tour

Swami Sivananda Saraswati never went to the East or to the West, but he touched the hearts of millions of seekers around the world. He came to Rishikesh in 1924, and after eight years of arduous sadhana and tapasya, he established Sivanandashram in 1932 and the Divine Life Society in 1936. He only left Rishikesh when invited to a program or to participate in kirtan. In 1937, he came to Munger after the city had been devastated by an earthquake. Swami Sivananda and his group of sannyasins conducted akhanda kirtan throughout the city.
In 1950, from 9th September to 7th November, he embarked on a 61 day whirlwind All-India-Ceylon Tour. He describes the experience in his Autobiograophy:

I came in close touch with thousands of sincere spiritual aspirants all over the land. I rejoice heartily that the Almighty gave me an opportunity to serve Him and His children by undertaking the All-India-Ceylon Tour. I recollect with immense delight the deep devotion of the people of India and Ceylon, the reverence they have for the Holy Order of Sannyasa and their eagerness to acquire the knowledge of yoga and Vedanta.

I visited all the important cities, towns and villages all over India. I addressed public meetings and conducted kirtans. I delivered speeches in many schools, colleges and universities on ethical culture and real education and addressed numerous public meetings on general spiritual topics. Several thousands of rupees worth of valuable books were distributed free of cost to the public during this historic event—the All-India-Ceylon Tour.

In keeping with my usual practice, I did not spend any time in preparing fine lengthy speeches on yoga, bhakti and Vedanta for such occasions. Along with my kirtans and songs, I gave practical lessons on sadhana. That created a wonderful effect on the audience. When I was filled with immense joy in the company of devotees, I combined nritya also—the Dance of Lord Shiva and Lord Krishna. People were thrilled. Even today thousands repeat my favourite kirtans: Agada Bhum, Chidananda-hum, Pilade. In various centres, the devotees also stood up and danced for a long period in divine ecstasy.

Everywhere I went, I was overwhelmed by the love of the people. I enjoyed at every centre the warmth of the people’s cordiality and devotion. I bathed again and again in the ocean of the masses’ devotion to the Lord. I drank again and again the Immortal Elixir of the Lord’s Name, which all people sang with bhava and fervour.

These are the 43 places he visited: Haridwar, Lucknow, Faizabad, Benares, Patna, Hajipur, Gaya, Kolkata, Valteyar, Rajamahendravaram, Vijayavada, Madras, Villupuram, Chidambaram, Mayavaram, Dharmapuram, Tanjavar, Tiruchirapalli, Pudukote, Kanahukatan, Rameshwaram, Dhanushakoti, Talemanar, Colombo, Kurunegal, Pune, Madura, Virudhanagar, Tirunelaveli, Pattamadai, Nagarkobil, Kanyakumari, Trivendrum, Cochin, Coimbatore, Bangalpur, Mysore, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Amalasad, Badora, Ahmedabad, Delhi.

. . . and for your interest, these are the different modes of transport covering 7672 miles during this tour. Swami Sivananda travelled by:

Did you know that Swami Sivananda

1. Visited 37 associations and organizations
2. Visited 28 branches of the above
3. Held 144 community meetings and at ‘Digvijay Mandals’
4. Gave 45 discourses and darshan at important centres
5. Conducted 125 kirtan Ganga at the homes of devotees
6. Gave 8 addresses to universities
7. Sang 25 times Atma-Gita at Universities, schools and other educational institutions
8. Gave 5 press conferences
9. Gave 7 broadcasted radio interviews
10. Had 30 times darshan at renowned temples
11. Received 35 times traditional padapooja
12. Accepted 127 certificates of felicitation
13. Accepted 5 silver felicitation certificates
14. Distributed spiritual literature worth Rupees 7499/-

. . . and that Swami Sivananda was offered traditional poorna-kumbhabhishek according to rites prescribed in the scriptures with 809 pots of sacred water.