Thousands participate IN GANESH TEMPLE

A traditionally decorated elephant goes out in procession before the
gaja-pooja during the Maha Kumbhabhishekam ceremonies at the Ganesh Temple.

It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for thousands of Hindu devotees to receive divine blessings during the Maha Kumbhabhishekam celebrations at the Mahavallabla Ganapati temple in Flushing, New York this month.

The five-day festivities that culminated in the grand ritualistic ceremonies on July 13 marked the completion of a massive $5 million expansion and renovation of the Ganesh temple.

Tens of thousands of devotees from across the Tri-state area and other states thronged the temple for the various poojas that included gow-pooja (cow worship) on the first day and gaja-pooja (elephant pooja) on the last day of the festivity.

The rituals throughout were carried out with utmost sanctity and strict detail as per Hindu religious texts complete with the requisite articles of pooja and yagna such as special sacred seeds, roots, etc. brought from India. Sounds of naadaswaram and chanting of the sacred mantras filled the fragrant air inside the temple which was filled to capacity with young and old devotees dressed in their festive silks while the priests strutted around busily in their auspicious red and orange silk dhotis and angavastrams.

The block around the temple on Bowne Street in Flushing was cordoned off by the city police from 8 am on July 13 when the elephant decorated in true temple style was brought out in a small procession and led inside the new walkway with 16 granite pillars, each with a different form of Ganesha sculpted on it.

The maha kumbhabhishekam on the temple’s brand new raja gopuram (temple tower) was performed in the presence of priests specially invited from India.

The priests went up on the roof ceremonially carrying the kumbhas (pots) filled with the holy waters to perform the abhishekam.

Devotees watch the Maha Kumbhabhishekam poojas inside the Ganesh Temple.

Besides Maha Ganapati, the re-consecration rituals were performed for the shrines of Sri Siva, Sri Parvati, Sri Kamakshi and Sri Valli-Devasena Sameta Sri Shanmukha, all of which find new NRI TODAY • AUGUST 2009 33 space inside the expanded version of the temple. Special prayers were performed to gold, silver and precious stones placed at the bases of the deities before the installation in their respective sannidhis (shrines).

The shrines of Sri Maha Lakshmi and Sri Venkateswara are still under construction and craftsmen and masons brought from India for the purpose are still giving finishing touches to the many added features on the temple structure.

Following the abhishekam, as the deities were being dressed and adorned, a visiting priest from India led the devotees to chant the Omkaar. The rituals ended with the maha aarti.

Throughout the five days of the festivities, the temple and surrounding areas were reverberating to the sounds of the nadaswaram and thavil. There was free distribution of maha prasad on all days.

During the festivities, there were also lectures by Sri Jayendrapuri Swami on “Concept of God and relationship with man” “Power of devotion” “Temple worship” and “Why Pranapratishta & Kumbhabhishekam”. Visiting Sivacharyas (holy priests) from India also provided explanations of the rituals they performed at the Yagasala area during the celebration. There was also group chanting of Ganapathy Moola Mantra followed by Rudra Prasnam and Lalitha Sahasranamam. The temple also arranged classical dance and music as a part of the celebration.

The grand festivities of the temple received extensive coverage from the mainstream American media, which is increasingly opening up to the growing presence of Hindus in the country.

The Flushing Ganesh Temple is the oldest Hindu temple in North America and has in the last 35 years increasingly attracted devotees from all parts of the country, especially the Tri-State area. The ambitious expansion project on the temple was undertaken under the leadership of Dr. Uma Mysorekar, President of the Hindu Temple Society of North America that runs the temple.

Dr. Uma Mysorekar, President of the Hindu Temple Society of North America spearheaded the ambitious expansion project on the temple

According to the shastras, a re-consecration of a temple through a kumbhabhishekam is required once in twelve years. Sometimes, major repair works have to be carried out to the temple at this time then it is called “Jeernod-dhaarana Kumbhabhishekam.” This ritual is required to be performed to all the deities in the garbhagrahas of all temples in a temple complex. Through the medium of an elaborate chain of Yaagas and Yagnas (fire sacrifices) the full potency of infused powers (Sannidhyam) is restored to the idols at the appropriate muhurtam (time) on an auspicious day.

Through the redressal of genuine difficulties and grievances of the deserving devotees, the inherent and infused spiritual powers of the installed idols are diminished over a period of time. It is also possible that through unintended deficiencies (apacharaas) while conducting of poojas, prayers, aaraadhanaas etc., to the installed deities in the sanctum sanctorum by either in the absolute merits and physical purity of the performing priests or in the improper pronunciation and recital of the prescribed number of mantras or a host of other related factors, the installed idol’s omnipotence (sannidhya) gets progressively diminished and demand rejuvenation or restoration. This is the purpose with which Kumbhabhishekam is done periodically.

The Kumbhabhishekam ceremony consists of the erection of Balaalayam, japas, chants of Vedas, sanctifying Kalasaas (pots of water), Homas and Yagnas. The finale is the pouring of the sanctified water from the kalasas over the stupis (steeple) on the top of the central Vimaana or the sanctum sanctorum, the gopurams and the main and other deities, by the priests.

Kumbhabhishekam ceremony has everlasting effect on the society as a whole, besides on devotees. It is conducted with the sole purpose of eradicating all illness, obtaining good benefits from various Yagaas, deriving rich benefits for the wellbeing and for the healthy propagation of the progeny. The kumbhabhishekam brings all-round prosperity not only to any particular group or devotees but also to the society as a whole.

[ BY LAVANYA GARIKINA ]