Mayor of Louisville, Kentucky declares Sanatan Dharma Day  

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At the celebration of Maha Kumbha Abhishekam at the Hindu Temple of
Kentucky in Louisville, a proclamation was presented in which September 3, 2023, was officially declared Sanatan Dharma Day by the Mayor of the City Craig Greenberg.

Present at the event were Swami Chidanand Saraswati, President of Parmarth Niketan, Rishikesh  Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswati, along with several other spiritual leaders and dignitaries including  Lt. Governor Jacqueline Coleman, Deputy Mayor
Barbara Sexton Smith, and Deputy Chief of Staff Keisha Dorsey.

Deputy Mayor Sexton Smith, read aloud the proclamation on behalf of Mayor Greenberg, a gesture that organizers said was “a testament to not only the spiritual significance of the Maha Kumbha Abhishekam event but also to the great, positive impact that the Hindu community has had in Louisville, in Kentucky and across the United States.”

In fact, when the historic 11-volume Encyclopedia of Hinduism (a project conceived, led,
and guided by Swami Chidananda Saraswati, it was gifted to the then Mayor of
Louisville, Greg Fisher, who then proclaimed the day of July 20 as  “Encyclopedia of Hinduism” Day in Kentucky.

The Sept. 3, event was the culmination of seven days of puja and havan at the Hindu Temple of Kentucky. The Maha Kumbha Abhishekam began with the leaders going up to the roof of the temple and sprinkling holy water and flowers onto the deities from the roof.

Swami Sri Sri Ravi Shankar shared the details of the different meaningsof each of the elements offered in the puja – the fire, the water, the flowers, etc. Swami Chidanand Saraswati emphasized the power and importance of Sanatan Dharma and Sanatan tradition. He pointed to the success of the Chandrayaan 3 moon mission and the Suryayaan mission to the sun.

“It was such a great statement of our ancient yet timeless culture when Shri S. Somnath,
Chairman of ISRO said for outer space he follows science but for inner space he
practices spirituality! That is what is needed today.”Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswati emphasized the connection between science and spirituality in Hinduism, how the two disciplines overlap and weave together.

After the speeches, the Deputy Mayor presented official certificates of Honorary
Citizenship of Louisville to the spiritual leaders.