Cape Town Prayer Group hosted the Society’s Centenary Celebrations on Saturday, 17 May 2025 at the CHCS Cultural Hall in Rylands Estate, Cape Town. Havan commenced at 2pm followed by Ganga Arati at 3.20pm and Satsang from 3.30pm to 5.30pm. Items on the Satsang programme comprised a message from the Society, a play-reading, “Learn to Type and to Make Tea”, the Society’s Service Activities’ video, Kirtans and Bhajans. 

The soulful chants of sacred Mantras during the Havan permeated the precincts of the CHCS Cultural Centre. For many, the experience of having Mother Ganga’s Darshan during Ganga Arati, was possibly a first-time experience. Queues of devotees, well-wishers, donors and members of the public took Darshan in a respectful and worshipful manner, evident of their reverence for Mother Ganga.

The message from the Society traced the history of Divine Life Society of South Africa, Pujya Swamiji’s life, legacies, his unconditional loyalty and obedience to Sri Swami Sivananda, and the illustrious work of the Society. “Pujya Swamiji led Divine Life Society of South Africa for some 58 years from 1949, when it was founded by Sri Swami Sivananda. Pujya Swamiji grew the organisation from humble beginnings at The Umgeni Road Temple in Durban with just 2 devotees, to the mammoth institution that you see today, comprising 18 Branches and Prayer Groups countrywide, including 8 Ashrams.

“His visionary leadership in establishing the unique Sivananda Ghat (a facility for the disposal of the post cremation ashes of persons of all religions), the Sivananda Sunlit Path Schools’ Programme to assist youth to cope with drug addiction and other social ills, poor feeding programmes of over 3000 school children daily, grocery hamper distributions to the needy, our health clinics and numerous educational, social and humanitarian initiatives, such as our school building projects, and assistance to Temples and Hindu organisations in South Africa and abroad, The Monthly Yoga Camps, Sivananda Day Satsangs, and our beautiful Ashrams and Satsangs, are the hallmarks of this gentle saint. Every task was dedicated to Sri Gurudev and conducted as a sacred offering to the Divine Master. We are glad to report that by the Grace of Sri Gurudev, the work is continuing unabated and more than 700 projects have been completed. 

“Pujya Swamiji lived a life of faith and self-surrender. Coincidently, this is the title of the first book that Pujya Swamiji had written in 1996. We invite all to obtain a copy of this booklet from our bookstall. It is filled with great power. Pujya Swamiji said that the knowledge came from Sri Gurudev within as he typed the booklet on the computer without any draft. It is sure to inspire and uplift all readers in this age of so many challenges in daily life. The booklet entitled Glory of Hinduism is available free of charge. Please take a copy per family and an additional one for a friend or family member”. 

The play-reading, “Learn to Type and to Make Tea”, a gestalt of the formation of the Society and its main activities, brought to the fore the cryptic instruction given to Sri Swami Sahajananda by Sri Swami Sivananda. The following excerpt encapsulates the essence of the play, “Sri Swami Sahajananda, also known as Srinivasan Naidoo in his pre-monastic days, first came into contact with Sri Gurudev through the book Practise of Karma Yoga. It was this book that started the course of historical events.

“In fact, Swamiji’s first visit to the Master was in 1948, when he received the instruction to learn to type and make tea. It was only later that Pujya Swamiji realised that this instruction meant the dissemination of spiritual knowledge through the Master’s literature, and service of the underprivileged. Pujya Swamiji made it his life’s work to print and distribute Sri Gurudev’s literature. He served all, the sick, poor and destitute, such that our poverty-alleviation projects to date exceed 700”.

For persons new to Divine Life Society, the play-reading gave an overview of the Society’s humble beginnings, as is evident in, “At Bechan Hall in Durban, Pujya Swamiji, with a few other devotees slept on the bare cement floor with newspapers as mattresses and bricks as pillows. An unused toilet pan was covered, and cooking was done over it. They used the bathroom downstairs and often had only milo and sandwiches. Often there was no money for food”. The play-reading also alluded to our beautiful Ashrams, programmes, Satsangs, Ganga Ranis and Ganga Arati.  

The Society’s Service Activities’ video captured the laudable contributions of the Society in the building of schools, classrooms, a hospital, Peace Centres, early-childhood development institutions, establishment of sewing centres, poor feeding and its beautiful Ashrams and the Sunlit Path Centre. The video was informative and educational.

The Cape Town Prayer Group has organised the Society’s Centenary Celebrations over two consecutive years. We offer with deep humility and sincerity, our heartfelt gratitude to the devotees for the sacred work they have undertaken and completed with such grace, devotion and excellence. Their commitment to walking in alignment with, and promoting Sri Gurudev’s and Pujya Swamiji’s divine mission, have made ripples in the Western Cape. In so doing, they have assisted in bringing some light into dark spaces, offered healing where there was pain, and lifted others with a spirit that reflects love, peace and truth, through the works of the Divine Master and Pujya Swamiji.

May the Blessings of our Divine Master, Sri Swami Sivananda and Pujya Swami Sahajananda, replenish our spiritual aspirations in every way.