On 20 September, as part of the CM75 celebrations, over 2,000 people gathered in Stanmore for the Hanuman Chalisa Maha Havan, in the presence of Pujya Swami Swaroopananda, Global Head of Chinmaya Mission.
Around 108 sacred fires, families, first-timers and longtime devotees chanted the Hanuman Chalisa 21 times as one voice, offering ahutis for peace and prosperity for all. Many newcomers couldn’t stop expressing their gratitude. Everyone felt it: the calm, the connection, the grace.
Behind every kund sat a member of our community who had trained to lead the havan. Months of preparation went into making sure each of the 108 fires had a priest, with training sessions guiding sevaks beforehand. Each one also handled scheduling, supplies and countless questions behind the scenes.
“Sitting before the Havan kund and leading the prayers while everyone joined together in the Hanuman Chalisa… created a profound sense of peace, devotion and connection. I felt truly grateful to have been given the opportunity to serve in this way.”
Priest, Havan Kund 35A
“Initially, I was a little anxious and nervous, but this seva required full and complete presence and devotion, so those anxieties quickly dissolved… and soon enough, I started to enjoy the seva.”
Priest, Havan Kund 11B
“I feel deeply blessed by this entire experience. There are feelings and experiences that words simply cannot express.”
Attendee
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“I was asked by Ekta if I wanted to do seva as a Havan priest for the Chinmaya Havan Event. I said yes immediately. I started doing Havans about one year ago through Shiv Yog, so I was excited and couldn’t wait for this opportunity to arrive. I had the practice Havan at the Chinmaya centre with other Havan priests. This was so well organised. Written instructions were also provided. I was so impressed how the teaching was conducted as explanations were given as well and we were allowed to ask questions.
Previously I had copied what my teacher was doing without any explanations. However, now I understand various parts of the Havan better. The best part for me was learning how to control and manage the fire with the wood, ghee and camphor. I also now know the difference between atma and tirtha patra. Practicing the Havan was very useful just before the event.
On the big day, it was a highly spiritually uplifting experience doing the Havan. What made this a unique experience for me was the sheer number of Havans conducted at the same time under one roof with so many Sadhaks present. This was like an Anusthan. I believe that the collective prayers and Havans that we did will provide all of us with enormous benefit compared to if we did this individually.
Now, I feel more confident and experienced in conducting Havans in the future. For anyone who might be interested in doing Havans, I would say Chinmaya Mission has provided me with excellent practical training with explanations and the confidence to perform the Havan.”
Dr Dilip Patel
12:30 – 17:30
Hanuman Chalisa Havan, followed by Dinner Prasad
Arrival
Registration & Havan Number Allocation
Participation
Full party required upon arrival at registration desk
Wood Lane, Stanmore, HA7 4LF
Have questions about the event? We’ve compiled everything you need to know in our detailed FAQ document. Download the full FAQs using the link below.
Thanks for being part of the event
