Guru Purnima Celebrations: Devipuram, India, July 2005

[Guest guest]

Dear Friends:

 

Thank you all for sponsoring the Guru Purnima celebrations at

Devipuram, India, which took place from July 18 to July 21, 2005.

 

With the grace of Devi, the Pujas and celebrations went very well.

Besides an overwhelming response from our online sponsors like

yourself, we also had a wide participation from local and out-of-

station people on this scared occasion of Guru Purnima.

 

The Guru Purnima celebrations began on the morning of July 18th with

the arrival of the Ritwiks around 8 am. Around 9 am, they all

started veda parayanam at Mugguramma Sannidhi and Yagna Karthas gave

them deeksha vastras to wear and get ready for the homam. On each of

the day of celebrations a special sankalpam was performed on behalf

of all the participants who has sponsored the event from all over

the world.

 

Six Homa Kundas were constructed on the first floor of the temple

and one on the ground floor in front of Mugguramma sannidhi. All

these Homa kundas were used in addition to the existing kundas in

the Yagna shala. After drawing all the required mandalas in the

Yagnashala, the Yagnam started with Chandi Homam in 5 homa kundas

and 1 homa kunda being used for doing Maha Vidya Homam.

 

Guruji blessed all the ritwiks and the function started. There was

one Homa Kunda in the Yagna shala which was used to do mulamantra

homas by the disciples of Guruji throughout the function. The public

address system and the lighting arrangements were made and the

Mantra UchAtanam made the whole environment immerse in divine bliss.

Everyone enjoyed every precious moment of the homam and the veda

ghosham. Chandi Homam was performed once in the morning on that day

in all the homa kundas and it was around 12.30pm it was finished and

everyone went for lunch. The evening session started around 4pm and

another round of Chandi Homam was done with disciples doing Chandi

homam and other mula mantra homams.

 

In the evening, Guruji gave a lecture on the real significance of

Deeksha as per Parasurama Kalpa Sutra. He also gave an elaborate

discourse on the need for Guru in spiritual sadhana. The discourse

was for almost one hour and there was a direct impact of his words

on many of us that extended beyond the intellectual plain. After

that, svasthi vachanam was chanted there by the ritwiks and they

chanted Vedas and there was a wonderful rendering of Sama veda by

one ritwik. All of us felt an absorptive pull from within, as if the

inner Guru was drawing us inside to our abode of joy and peace.

 

The second day function started around 9 am and as on the previous

day, Chandi Homam and Mula Mantra Homas were performed with Havis

and Ghee to the Goddess Chandi and other Deities. Due to extensive

coverage of the upcoming event in the local press during the

previous week, many people came to take part in the function .

During the evening Guruji gave an informative speech on the planned

Manidweepam project. This was again followed by Swasthi vachanam and

the chanting of some ghanas.

 

On the third day, the Yagnam continued and in the evening special

mula mantra homams were done. In addition Guruji did one chandi

homam in the homa kundam in front of Mugguramma sannidhi with few

other disciples. Guruji chanted and the disciples did the homam.In

the evening, the swasthi vachanam and Deepa Aradhana were done to

Goddess Sahasrakshi Raja Rajeshwari. The special mula mantra homams

which were done during the function were, shat chakra mantras, Bala,

panchadashi, raja shyamala, Varahi, Kali, Uchishta Ganapathi and

Guru Mantra.

 

On the day of Guru Purnima, the temple was decorated with the

thombas of Madurai - colorful cylindrical hanging clothes. There was

Nadaswaram to add colors to the whole function right from 6 am in

the monring. Mahanyasa Rudram was chanted by all the ritwiks to the

pradhana Kalasam set up for Guru Purnima and the energized kumbam

was carried with Veda Ghosham and Nadaswaram to Ashram to do

Ambishekam to Guruji and Amma. Besides the Guru Purnima occasion,

the abhishekam was done to mark his Guruji's 70th year. Guruji and

Amma blessed everyone by taking the abhishekham and every devotee

present there was given chance to perform abhishekam to Guruji and

Amma and do pada seva. The energised water which contained turmeric

powder and rose petals made everyone enjoy as we all felt that the

Abhishekam was being offered to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvathi.

During the Abhishekham Veda Ghosham was done continuously.

 

Following the Abhishekham Guruji was dressed in yellow silk dhothi

with a Manidweepam Tshirt and Amma in yellow silk saree. Both of

them were adorned with rose and champa garlands with sandal paste

applied to their feet. They were given padhyam and achamanam after

which they were taken to the temple as procession with Veda Gosham

and Nadaswaram. "Na karmana naprajayA" was chanted to signify that a

few REALIZE by doing thyaga or renunciation of everything. All the

disciples were showering amma and guruji with rose petals.

 

Then Shodasha-Upachara Guru Puja was done in sri suktha/purusha

sukhta Vidhana and everyone got a chance to participate in the puja.

The deities in the temple were decorated specially on account of

Guru Purnima. After the puja, Deepa Aradhana for Guruji and Amma was

performed and everyone was blessed with the same.

 

A group of 25 journalists also were present at Devipuram on the day

of Guru purnima. They were given a guided tour of the different

temples at Devipuram Guruji again gave a speech on Sri Vidya Upasana

and Manidweepam. A multi-media and telefilm presentations on

Devipuram and Manidweepam were also shown for the benefit of the

audience. The journalists took notes and the local press covered the

events comprehensively for the next few days. For a sample please

check:

 

http://www.hindu.com/2005/07/22/stories/2005072201900200.htm

http://www.hindu.com/2005/07/13/stories/2005071304010200.htm

 

After the above events, an elaborate and intimate Abhishekam to Sri

Sahasrakshi was performed. She was given bath with panchamrutha with

milk brought by local people and devotees. After the Abhishekam,

Alankaram and Deeparadhana was shown and everyone proceeded to the

yagna shala for the Purnahuthi of the Yagnam. Sri Sanyasi Nayudu,

the chairman of Sri Kanaka Mahalakshmi Ammavari Devasthanam, Vizag

was the Chief Guest of the function. With the blessings of Guruji

and Amma, at about 12.30pm, purnahurthi of the 54 chandi Lalitha

Maha Yagna was done. Hunderds of people worldwide participated in

the purnahuti and were showered with the blessings of Guruji/Mother

Raja Rajeshwari. A special sankalpam was done on behalf of all the

people who had sponsored the puja from all over the world. Everyone

was blessed with the homa raksha (ash with ghee mix) on their

foreheads and they all did namaskar to Guruji and Amma.

 

After the Purnahuthi, there was Natyam by Kalavihar Group of Vizag.

Five young girls (under 12 years) performed kuchipudi dance to

everybody's amazement. One 3 year old girl held the audience

spellbound due to her stunning similarity to the Goddess Bala

Tripura Sundari.

 

Guruji released Sri Meru - The merus of Devipuram for the disciples.

The prana prathishta of 200 Merus were done and were given to

different devotees. Guruji mentioned that these Merus are made with

the Meru revealed to Him by Devi as the model and that the precision

level of these merus is very high. A pamphalet that explained the

method of doing a small regular puja to the meru was also released.

The disciples who want to have a Meru are requested to write to

seva or call +91-891-5549738 for more details.

 

To conclude the celebrations, the ritwiks were honoured by Guruji

and they did the swasthi vachanam and Deeparadana. The function then

came to an end. Annadana was performed to hundreds of disciples who

were present.

 

After the function Guruji remarked that this was a one-of-its-kind

function that happened in Devipuram.

 

Guruji and Amma convey their blessings to you and your loved ones.

 

Thanks, once again, for your continued participation. As always, we

will keep you posted on updates and future programs at Devipuram.

 

Best Regards,

The Devipuram/Vi1 Group