Sammelanam at Vittal (14th to 16th August 2026)
Report by Pratiksha Irde
Participating in the Yuvadhārā Sammelanam has been an experience that stays with us long after the last session concluded. It was a gentle unfolding of devotion, learning and belonging within the sacred embrace of our Mat͟h. There were 23 shivirārthī-s and 10 sañchālaka-s. The Sammelanam began at 11 a.m. on 14th August with the Dīpaprajwālana by H.H. Swāmījī.
This was followed by H.H. Swāmījī's Ᾱshīrvachana which set the tone for the two and a half days that lay ahead. H.H. Swāmījī spoke of our deep and abiding connection with Viṭṭal, a bond that stretches far beyond ritual, reaching into the very identity of who we are as a community. He reminded us of the importance of remaining open to learning, not as a phase we complete but as a disposition we carry through life. The invisible yet unbreakable thread that binds us to the Divine runs quietly through every act of devotion, sevā and every gathering such as this one. It was a teaching that asked us to look beyond the surface of our routines and recognise the thread that has always been holding us close.
1. Vijay Bhaṭ Mām's Session on the History of Shrīmath Anantheshwar Temple
If the Ᾱshīrvachana opened our hearts, Vijay Bhaṭ mām's session opened our eyes to a history spanning over 450 years. He traced with remarkable clarity, how the Anantheshwar Temple came to be established and how our Guru Paramparā came to be so intimately woven into its history. Placing this session at the very start allowed us to root ourselves in the presence of Shrīmath Anantheshwar before anything else. Every activity that followed carried within it a sense of grounded purpose.
What made the session unforgettable, however, was not just the history itself but the way it was told. Vijay Bhaṭ mām's storytelling had a rare quality of transporting his listeners through the stories. Each anecdote left us wanting more. He walked us through the history of the Pramukha Devatā and other Sannidhi-s that share the temple's sacred premises. By the end, the temple no longer felt like a place we had merely heard about but in some small way belonged to.
2. Icebreaker and Team Building Session
Our sessions resumed with the sañchālaka-s conducting icebreaker activities and a team building game that helped us become part of the group almost instantly. What seemed like simple fun carried a deeper meaning. For many of us, this was the first time meeting each other; these activities along with a steady support from the sañchālaka-s, gently helped us get familiar and learn as a unit.
3. Sanskrit Sambhās͟haṇa
Through short, light-hearted skits and simple conversational exchanges, the Sanskrit language revealed itself to be far more approachable than we had imagined. What could easily have felt like a lesson, instead, became genuinely enjoyable for all of us.
4. Shrī Devī Anus͟ht͟hāna/Saṅks͟hipta Sandhyāvandana
Saṅks͟hipta Sandhyāvandana was conducted for the boys alongside Devī Anus͟ht͟hāna for the girls; these were rooted in devotion for all the shivirārthī-s. For some of us it was the first time performing these sādhanā-s. To learn and practise these within the temple premises itself made the experience all the more profound. As the intonation of stotra-s rose around us, we could feel their vibrations within us.
5. Exercise, Prāṇāyāma and Nināda
Our mornings began with exercise, Prāṇāyāma and Nināda sessions that left us feeling charged and ready long before the day's activities started. Beyond the physical benefit, these sessions carried a quieter lesson- the importance of speech and using it with intention. For many of us this provided a newfound confidence.
6. Vimarsha on ‘Ananta Saṁsāra Samudra Madhye…’
The Vimarsha session opened with a reflection on the shloka inscribed at the entrance to the sanctorum itself, a verse whose depth revealed itself slowly, layer by layer, as the discussion unfolded.
अनन्तसंसार-समुद्रमध्ये मग्नं समभ्युद्धर वासुदेव।
अनन्तसूत्रे विनियोजयस्व अनन्तरूपाय नमो नमस्ते॥
What made this Vimarsha so meaningful was listening to one another's experiences, turning inward in introspection and finding ourselves arriving at new ideas. The central reflection stayed with us long after the session ended. We easily find ourselves adrift in the Ananta Sāgara of daily life, caught in the endless tide of activities, worries and problems. Yet how steadying it is to remember that Shrīmath Anantheshwar, Guru Smaraṇa, Japa and meditation are always there to keep us afloat, however far the currents may seem to pull us.
7. Quiz on Shrīmath Anantheshwar
The quiz on Shrīmath Anantheshwar brought a spirit of fun to our learning. Beneath the friendly competition lay genuine insight. Each question seemed to deepen our connection with Shrīmath Anantheshwar a little further and the answers we discovered along the way only invoked more curiosity. It left us eager to learn even more about Him beyond the confines of the quiz.
8. Session on Digital Transformation for Sevā
Among the many sessions,– the one that stood apart for its novelty, was the session on ‘Digital Transformation for Sevā’ led by Prabhav Koḍiāl mām and graced by H.H. Swāmījī's presence. The session's guiding thought stayed with all of us that, ‘Technology does not replace tradition but strengthens it for the generations to come’. Through examples of the work being done by Prabhav mām and his team, we came to understand how thoughtfully applied technology is deepening community connection, making services more accessible and streamlining the workings of the SCM ecosystem as a whole.
At the heart of it all, we learned the three simple pillars- People, Process and Purpose- the true foundation on which every initiative rests, regardless of how advanced the tools built upon it might be. What made the session especially valuable was its accessibility - even those of us with little or no background in technology found the concepts easy to grasp. It was a testament to how clearly the ideas were presented.
9. Rātri Pūjana by H.H. Swāmījī
Every night, H.H. Swāmījī graced us with His presence by personally performing Shrī Devī pūjana or Shiva pūjana. It is a sight truly worth beholding! Watching H.H. Swāmījī immersed so completely in worship, was a lesson for us in devotion.
10. Interactive Session with H.H. Swāmījī - Abhivyakti
The Sammelanam drew toward its close with an interactive session with H.H. Swāmījī, centred around Abhivyakti. H.H. Swāmījī gently urged us toward taking greater accountability and responsibility in our lives. He spoke of allowing our connection with God to deepen and percolate further within. H.H. Swāmījī also emphasised the quiet power of good communication and the importance of being truly present in order to experience the Divine. He explained that it is not an abstract idea but something felt in the here and now. Above all, He left us with the call to cultivate ‘Udāratā Bhāva’, an expansiveness of heart and to gently let go of the limitations we so often place upon ourselves.
Bhajana Sevā was offered by the Yuvadhārā during Shrī Guru Pādukā Pūjana. Many of us tried out new bhajana-s and offered them humbly at the Lotus Feet of Shrīmath Anantheshwar. Many of us also had the privilege of offering sevā in various hands-on ways throughout the Sammelanam. It was a reminder that sevā can be done in simple ways.
As the Yuvadhārā Sammelanam drew to a close, what stayed with us was not any single session but the quiet thread running through all of them. We arrived carrying our own individual questions, distractions and daily concerns much like the Ananta Sāgara. We leave having been reminded again and again of what it means to stay afloat: through Guru Smaraṇa, Japa, Sevā and the steady presence of the Divine in our lives.
It is H.H. Swāmījī's Grace, ultimately, that made this Sammelanam what it was. We return not merely with memories but with a heightened spiritual grounding that we hope to carry forward in our homes, in our sevā and in the quiet everyday moments.
(5 Oct 2026)