A winter day of 12 February 2014 in the Himalayan Roerichs' estate in Naggar was spring-like and sunny. Snow recently fallen and already being melted was sparkling; bright pink camellia flowers and yellow stars of jasmine; snow covered mountain slopes and the fragrance of daffodils on thaw holes... Himalayan nature met the birthday of its great daughter with great solemnity, purity and elegance.

Photo of Helena Roerich was put under the four-trunked Himalayan pine in the background of snowy peaks of Mount Gepang or "M" as Helena Roerich called it. In times of the Roerichs there was only an equestrian statue of Gugo Chohan - the patron of the Kullu valley - at this place, and now here is peculiar Gugo Chohan temple. Radiant old Pujari of the ancient Krishna temple who was invited to the Roerichs' estate to conduct a festive puja finished the necessary preparations - and a sacred rite began. Quiet and profound words of a prayer to the Highest Powers and all the gods of the Kullu valley, subtle scent of burnt incense and ghost-like flames with the photo of Helena Roerich in the background. There was an impression that time had disappeared, the boundaries of space had expanded, and all those who remembered Helena Roerich in this day were there and then with us inspired and united by the heroism and creativity of the great Russian lady who brought new knowledge to the Earth and proved it by the feat of her life.
           
St. Petersburg, the Central Asian expedition, Kullu and Kalimpong in India - these are major milestones of the life and creativity of Helena Roerich reflected in a small photo exhibition prepared specially for her birthday. The exhibition opened in the Conference Hall where guests and employees of the International Roerich Memorial Trust gathered at the end of the puja. Russian and Indian curators of the IRMT took the floor.

"The most important thing in Helena Roerich's life was to create the teaching of Living Ethics or Agni Yoga - said Mrs. Larisa Surgina, the Russian curator of the IRMT, an employee of the International Center of the Roerichs. - Helena Roerich began her records of Living Ethics in 1920 in England. This process continued during the Central Asian expedition, then here in the Kullu valley. In this estate, in the Roerichs’ House, a spiritual cooperation of Helena Roerich with the Great Teacher took place. Today the Himalayan estate - the Roerich House, the Urusvati Institute and all surrounding area - is not just a historical monument of the life of great personalities. It is truly an Ashram, a spiritual focus, a magnet attracting people's attention from all over the world".

The great significance of Helena Roerich and the Roerichs family creativity for the world culture and in particular for India was underlined by Mr. Ramesh Chandra, the Indian curator. He spoke about the importance of preserving the Roerich heritage and the need for the friendly cooperation between Russian and Indian experts.

A special and delicate aroma was felt that day in the rooms on the first floor of the Roerichs house - in the library, in the living room, in the Helena Roerich's study. It seemed that Helena Roerich just rose from her desk putting aside an unfinished letter. " In the evenings we listen to the music, talk, our thoughts fly to the future, we become stronger in mind that everything will be as commanded, send you messages of my heart " - Helen Roerich wrote to her husband and eldest son on her birthday in 1934.
And today, 80 years later, celebrating the birthday of Helen Roerich, we are sure everything will be as commanded...