please note that if anyone who attended the havan would like their photos – please email me at 99thbone@gmail.com
– and either copy the image into the email or send me the filename so that I know what photo to send you –

my apologies – i do not know everybody’s names – where i do know i have written them


the youth along with some elders had the idea of creating a mountain styled theme for the day – they achieved this using brown paper and paint – and carefully placing it with some plants – the murthi’s (idols) were placed creating the look of them being in the mountain


mountain styled with some really nice water features

they kindly set-up around 60 locations for the youth



the mantra – words that enlighten – that seek for an invidual to understand the true meaning of prayer




slowly starting to flow into the tent – it was cold that morning

at the entrance everyone got a ‘dot’ signifying their participation in the yagna (ceremony)



rugga in the center – his nephew on the left – moolji on the right

trisha – kimo – rohit’s sister – rohit

the 2 sisters on the right – i have photographed them at most of the events – both family & social – on the right Larisha











atish – jiggy – hitesh

tahir -&- sheelin



























dips (ex-student) & girlfriend




























2nd from the right – Ushma – friend from Durban


Sangeeta -&- Deepika – family of one of the friends from Durban (Ghela’s)























Bass Mechanics – group of youngsters leading the way in sound and lighting – they have come a long way and have truly made themselves apart of the community whenever needed


each person who took part in the prayer was draped in this material – bearing the image of Lord Shiva





some of the priests who conducted the days prayers





on the right Dharmesh – he initiated this prayer along with some the youth – truly an inspiration to the community and a gathering no one will soon forget






i switched off the flash and was quite suprised that the photos did come out fine – just a simple learning experience for me -









parents – grandparents – family – friends – bear witness to the youth and the prayers



as the prayers progressed – the people were told what was the right way of doing the various little things during the offerings to the gods




about the start yagna (the fire ceremony)








smoke started to fill the tent – it did at one point become overwhelming – but everybody still went on
















we took down walls of the tent – it helped for a little while –





on the right – mitesh (ex-student) & his sister











earlier on there was the image with the words – this is what the people were chanting as they offered ‘havan samagri’ into the fire







at the end – a coconut is offered to the fire – each person lending their right hand onto the next person – connecting us all into the offering


atish lala – a friend through unfortunate circumstances ended in a wheelchair – he gave a talk about life – about the youth – about the living through the disability – at the start it may be a disability – but living through life – you learn to cope – you learn to see a future filled with love







lastly the aarti (the final prayer)






Lucky -&- his son Kayur

Ruggas & Dips helping out – giving out water

always ready to capture beauty – Deepika – Arti – Sangeeta

all in all – the youth came together and showed one thing – life is filled with life – i know it sounds weird – but thats the way it is – friends – family – loved ones – all trying to connect – trying to journey into a spiritual world – to see that everything is possible – to see that we are all looking for the same thing – to connect to … i’ll let you end this sentence -

Later days