16. Lifting Up The World With A Oneness-Heart, 22 May 2007
[Sri Chinmoy honouring one of Mongolia's oldest citizens; its tallest man, Mr. D. Ragchaa; and Ms. Pratibha Mehta, Resident Coordinator of the United Nations System in Mongolia.]In the function room at the Ulaanbaatar Hotel, Sri Chinmoy honoured a total of twenty people by lifting them overhead and offering them the "Lifting Up the World with a Oneness-Heart" Award medallion. Sri Chinmoy began the programme by performing on the esraj.
Among the honorees was Ms. Pratibha Mehta of India, Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme and Resident Coordinator of the United Nations System in Mongolia. The singers performed for her one of Sri Chinmoy's songs dedicated to the UN.
The lifts, which took place in two sessions, included five people over 100 years old, who inspired the gathering with their childlike spirit. For each centenarian, Sri Chinmoy's students performed the song "I Am Not Old," which he had just composed that day. Sri Chinmoy received the "Noble Cause of Peace Medallion of Freedom" from Ms. Baasan Deleg, Head of the Open Association of Mongolian Elderly Citizens, for giving "his life-encouragement, joy and strength to elderly citizens." Sri Chinmoy was also made an honorary member of the association.
To thank Sri Chinmoy for honouring them, the centenarians performed a special song that seemed to evoke the ancient spirit of their country.
Also lifted was the tallest person in Mongolia, who, at 7 feet 5 inches (226 cm), towered over Sri Chinmoy. He was D. Ragchaa, a member of the Mongolian Basketball Association.
Deeldar introduced Mr. Yuraa Jigjid, the director of the Indian Cultural Centre and principal of the Rajiv Gandhi School, noting that he had been extremely helpful, cooperative and kind to Sri Chinmoy's students in Ulaanbaatar. Mr. Yuraa presented the highest award of his school, the "Rajiv Gandhi Medallion," to Sri Chinmoy.
The directors of Tseren Tours were lifted with appreciation for their assistance in facilitating the activities of Sri Chinmoy and his students in Mongolia, particularly the adventure of locating the white horses for Sri Chinmoy to lift.
In his special lift for married couples, which he had named "Oneness, Perfect Oneness of the Sun and the Moon," Sri Chinmoy honoured the parents of four of his Mongolian students. It was they who had offered Sri Chinmoy the white racing stallion and mare.
Most significantly, Sri Chinmoy lifted Deeldar and Niyojita, two of the leaders of his Centre in Ulaanbaatar, whose self-giving had made his Mongolian adventure possible. Between them, the devoted couple had offered almost twenty years of service to UNICEF (Mongolia, New York and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea) and the World Food Programme (DPRK).
Behind the honorees, a large banner proclaimed in print and in his own hand-writing Sri Chinmoy's powerful message: "Oneness, Perfect Oneness of the Sun and the Moon."
