Hans Jayanti '78
By the Grace of Guru Maharaj Ji
Kissimmee, Florida November 5th - 11th
Hans Jayanti 1978 was the peak point in Prem Rawat's career, the largest gathering of premies, aspirants, hangers-on and bongos in his Western career. He'd had setbacks in 1973 (Millenium '73), 1974 (his marriage caused an ashram exodus), 1975 (he was publicly deposed and disinherited by his mother), 1976 (the onus on understanding caused an ashram collapse) and 1978 (he received public criticism after the mass suicide in Jonestown). But during athose 5 years there had nearly always been nightly satsang meetings where premies extolled the results of meditation and their love for Maharaji (with greater and lesser degrees of truth) and this kept the core of those initiated in 1971-74 going. Hans Jayanti 1978 was going to be his biggest Western festival by far and still is.
After the events of 1976, there had been a return to DLM fundamentalism following the festival in Atlantic City, 18-20th December. This news gradually filtered down to Australian premies and was received enthusiastically. A larger group travelled to Rome for the 1977 Hans Jayanti than had gone to overseas' festivals before. They came back full of enthusiasm and devotion to Guru Maharaj Ji. During September, 1978 rumours spread that He had appeared dressed only in a mala made of flowers and that something very big was going to happen at Hans Jayanti in November. I can't remember if Australian premies had heard that Maharaji danced on stage or was going to but there was tremendous expectation that something incredible would happen. It was claimed that twenty thousand premies and hangers-on attended and I believe that is correct. I base this on the fact that it cost $1200 to attend the festival from Australia and 1,200 premies did so including myself and every other premie I knew.
Unfortunately there was very little information published about these events as Divine Light Mission publications by then were used only for the publishing of speeches by and photos of Guru Maharaj Ji and members of his replacement Holy Family.
On Friday, 10th November there was a Darshan Line where premies filed past and kissed Maharaji's feet. As I recall a long above ground tunnel had been created so that you walked in semi-darkness for quite a long time before you saw and entered the well-lit Darshan room. My "MIND" ie my ability to detect that He was a phony was still able to overcome the years of "brainwashing" in satsang, sitting with a non-judgemental mind, and the emptying of thoughts in meditation. The truth of His condition was evident in his eyes, his face, his body and in his speeches.
On Saturday the 11th November, a procession was held in which the 22 year old Lord of the Universe dressed in his "Krishna Uniform" was driven "in procession" - actually there was not much of a procession just the guru sitting in a raised armchair in the back of a car/utility. Premies lined up along the route and many of them were particularly moved by seeing their Perfect Master and Lord of the Universe drive past. I recall that His Lotus Feet were visible ensconced on a thick pillow. He spoke of it later: "it was so beautiful" … "it felt so good" add fantasized about the Possibility of Processions.
- The Master Key - Prem Rawat (Maharaji) speaks at pre-Hans Jayanti, Friday, November 3, 1978, Kissimmee, Florida
- The Master Key - Prem Rawat (Maharaji) speaks at pre-Hans Jayanti, Friday, November 3, 1978, Kissimmee, Florida
- The Only Reason I Came - Prem Rawat (Maharaji) speaks at Hans Jayanti, Saturday, November 4, 1978, Kissimmee, Florida.
- The Only Reason I Came - Prem Rawat (Maharaji) speaks at Hans Jayanti, Saturday, November 4, 1978, Kissimmee, Florida.
- Have That Faith - Prem Rawat (Maharaji) speaks at Hans Jayanti, Sunday November 5, 1978, Kissimmee, Florida
- That Inner World - Prem Rawat (Maharaji) speaks at Hans Jayanti, Monday Evening November 6, 1978, Kissimmee, Florida
- Prayer Of The Heart - Prem Rawat (Maharaji) speaks at Hans Jayanti, Wednesday Evening November 8, 1978, Kissimmee, Florida
- Crazy For That Love - Prem Rawat (Maharaji) speaks at Hans Jayanti, Thursday afternoon, 9th November, 1978, Kissimmee, Florida
- When Guru Maharaj Ji Smiles - Prem Rawat (Maharaji) speaks at Hans Jayanti, Thursday November 9, 1978, Kissimmee Florida
- Hans Jayanti, November 10th 1978 video - Prem Rawat (Maharaji) speaks at Hans Jayanti, Friday afternoon November 10, 1978, Kissimmee
This is a 45 minute afternoon speech which was followed by Marolyn Rawat's satsang, Raja Ji and Claudia Rawat speaking - Beyond Heaven and Hell - Prem Rawat (Maharaji) speaks at Hans Jayanti, Saturday afternoon, November 11, 1978, Kissimmee
- Hans Jayanti, November 11th 1978 video - Prem Rawat (Maharaji) speaks at Hans Jayanti, Saturday evening November 11, 1978, Kissimmee
This speech lasts 1 hour and 13 minutes. - Forget Those Somedays - Prem Rawat (Maharaji) speaks at Hans Jayanti, Saturday evening, November 11, 1978, Kissimmee
- Hans Jayanti, November 12th 1978 video - Prem Rawat (Maharaji) speaks at Hans Jayanti, Sunday afternoon November 12, 1978, Kissimmee
- Reality Is With-In - Prem Rawat (Maharaji) speaks at Hans Jayanti, Sunday November 12, 1978, Kissimmee
My memories are a bit hazy but I was excited to go, had been immersed in ss&m for a long time and was hopeful that my ideas about the young guru might change and I could begin to understand the devotion that was trumpeted so loudly amongst premies. However, when I saw him close up in the darshan line I knew that I had been right. Maharaji was not a Perfect Master, was not enlightened and there was no excuse for his ignorance and his boring speeches. I was understandably depressed. I was there, it is what it is, so I meditated and listened to satsang and waited to go home. There was a lot of dragging our stroller through the sand between the satsang area and the tents so the toddler could sleep, be fed, be cleaned, be dressed. There was some wonderful non-alcoholic Pina Colada. There was the distressing sight of many little children with scores of little flies feasting on the Pina Colada around their mouths. Then He was driving around knocking down tents. I think the Saturday night dancing (see Vic Marsh in the Divine Times and the video for details) with Maharaji dressed in a "Krishna suit" was the last straw for me.
After he finished his speech Kim O'Leary sang one of her plaintive ballads: "You are everything my heart is beating for" was the song's message. Maharaji then left the stage and returned dressed in a "Krishna suit." His wife then placed a ridiculous crown on his head and lay down on the stage and kissed his feet. The band and the audience sang Arti which took 15 minutes followed by a chorus of "Bolie Shri Satgurudev Maharaj Ki Jais. The band then played "Thank You For Everything" for 3 minutes 50 seconds followed by another chorus of "Bolie Shri Satgurudev Maharaj Ki Jais. During this Maharaji sat occasionally smiling. Hannaford then started with the guitar intro to Dance, Dance, Dance. As more and more premies recognised the song there were screams and squeals of delight. Anyone who had sat down after Arti gor back to their feet. After about 1 minute and a half his son, Hans Pal Rawat, came on stage and gave him a Bansuri to complete the Krishna outfit. It took another 2 minutes as the crowd hysteria grew before he made his move and he danced, in his inimitable style, for 2 minutes while his wife gazed on in ecstatic worship and the children leap about. Then he left the stage before returning while the band played Power of Love to signal good night and goodbye.
One of Maharaji's most devoted and dedicated long-term premies/students is retired Professor Ron Geaves. Geaves is no academic giant but he is unique in writing positive articles about Maharaji/Prem Rawat. In 2006 he wrote:
"The period from 1977 to 1982 was marked by … a series of international events in which Prem Rawat inspired personal loyalty and devotion from the already committed through a number of highly charismatic appearances in which he would dance on stage." - Journal of Alternative Spiritualities and New Age Studies
This dancing may have inspired the already committed and devoted, like Geaves, but it put a death knell to the possibility of any further large scale attraction of new devotees and proabably led to the exodus of more of those not fully committed such as myself.
Even though I was long way back in the crowd, it was something that once seen, could never be erased from memory. I was aghast, everyone else seemed to be dancing or swaying in ecstacy. I was dumbfounded. Was I the only sane person in this crowd? One of my best friends and future wife went past in tears of misery, she had to leave now or miss her flight back to Australia and lose her job. Maharaji was such a selfish shit. His hours of attendance were dictated by whim. In Maharaji's world, he sowed disorganisation and chaos. My irritation was exacerbated. It was well past midnight and I had woken at first light and was tired and depressed and bored. So I went back to the tent to sleep.
He danced again in a flower mala on Sunday night. In retrospect, I might not have been the only one appalled by the "dancing." After all, Guru Maharaj Ji never attracted another crowd like that one again. I'm not sure if I saw the dancing again Sunday night as I don't know when the majority of Australians, including myself, who were on the same travel plan left. I got back to Sydney with only the $7 I left with, went to see my father, went to the beach, met my cousin, he said he needed a good man and was I interested in working on a big job, yes I was, and life went on.
Transcribing a 1970s video of Guru Maharaj Ji speaking after years since my last one reminds me what I really most disliked about Divine Light Mission. At this time he was always 100% certain in his speeches that the Knowledge, Himself, and everything associated with it were Perfect. He continually stated that the Knowledge provided instantaneous, total bliss. All the premies knew this was not true for them and every other premie the knew but did not say it out loud. After enduring an hour or so of his pathetic, boring stories about himself and his exhortations to practise, worship, surrender and his cod philosophy then came the worst parts. The ends of his speeches when premies went gaga, shouting, screaming and drooling over his pathetic, boring personal little chats about when "you pathetic creeps will next get to adore me" or "maybe not or maybe yes if you just keep shouting and screaming and crying and donating and aren't I amazing?"
I felt like screaming "Will this horror never end?" Thankfully, after attending this otherwise rather nice weekend, and then joining the large Sydney community I realised "the Knowledge" took you nowhere. One thing I do have to grant Prem Rawat. It might have taken 30 or 40 years but his speechifying has improved. The recent speeches I've transcribed are nowhere as awful as these 1978 Hans Jayanti highlights.
