A report onSri Venugopala Perumal Prana Pratishtapana held in New Jersey on 11th September 2004

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Srimathe Ranga Ramanuja Maha Desikaya Namaha: Sri Rukmini Sathyabhama

Sametha Sri Venugopala Para Brahmane Namaha:

 

 

Report on Prana Pratishtapana Mahothsavam Celebrations held in Edison, NJ on September 11th 2004

The Uthsavam celebrations for Prana Pratishtapana of Sri Rukmini

Sathyabhama sametha Sri Venugopala Perumal started 10 days earlier

i.e., from September 1st 2004 in Edison, New Jersey with grand

parayanams of sri sookthis arranged for the occasion. This included

Swami NammAzhwAr's ThiruvAimozhi,Sri Valmiki RAmAyanam's Sundara

KAndam, SwAmi DEsikan's entire DEsika prabhandham and DEsika

Sthothram.These recitations took place every day from Sept 1st 2004

for 2 hours between 07:30 PM to 09:30 PM ET. On the 10th day of the

Uthsavam (Sep 10th), entire Sri Ranganatha Paduka Sahasram recitation

took place in the morning.

 

It was a wonderful sight to see so many bhagavathas turning up for

each day of the uthsavam with lots of dedication and bhakthi even it

was a weekday. Also so many bhagavathas far and wide across the

country had the fortune of participating in the uthsavam every day

albeit remotely through the telebridge facility. The religious

rituals started on the 9th day of the uthsavam ie on Sep 9th for the

prana pratishtapana of Sri Venugopala Perumal. Jaladhivasam,dhanyadi

vasam, homams and kalasa pujas were performed by Sri Sampath bhattar

of New Jersey to mark the occasion. On the day of prana pratishtapana

of Sri Venugopala Perumal, purnahuthi was performed after the

conclusion of kalasa puja and homams. Perumal with His Parivaram that

comprises of thayars-Sri Rukmini and Sathyabhama, Garudan, Bhagavath

Ramanuja,Swami Desikan left for a Hall nearby where the mahothsavam

was arranged. Perumal with His parivaram were majestically

seated in a Silver Dolai(swing) during the purappadu. It is

interesting to note that Perumal and entire parivaram along with

silver dolai was specially prepared under the direct supervision of

His Holiness Srimath Srimushnam Andavan Himself ! Adiyen is

astonished by the beauty of perumal and his parivaram that one should

definitely pray to get a glimpse of Him ! On the morning of 11th Sept

2004, The mahothsavam started off sharply at 08:30 AM with

traditional seva kalam recitation followed by Sri Vishnu Sahsranamam

and Sri Lakshmi Ashtothram. Following this, the important event of

Prana Pratishtapana muhurtham took place between 10:35 AM and 10:45

AM where Netra UnmeeLanam(opening of eyes) for Perumal took place. At

this time, a special chAya darsanam( through a kannAdi-Mirror) was

arranged for the bhagavathas to see Him through it. Slowly by then

bhagavathas started pouring in and it was amazing to see a huge turn

out (close to 300 bhagavathas) to have the darshan

of Perumal. Immediately after the conclusion of prana pratishtapana, a

GRAND thirumanjanam was performed for the deities by the bhattar

amidst veda gosham reverberating the ambience. Pancha sooktham with

taitriyopanishad were recited with full fervor during Perumal's

neerattam. We had more than 60-70 bhagavatha goshti alone in the

sathsangam.

 

The atmosphere was filled with energy and devotion from the

bhagavathas which took us literally to being in a divya desam in

India during an uthsavam. One has to experience to say this ! It was

adiyen's bhagyam to have been present on such an auspicious occasion.

 

 

During the alankaram of Perumal and bhashyakarar, divya prabhandham

was recited as songs by couple of devotees in a melodious, lilting

tone to please the perumal. At the completion of alankaram, a GRAND

THIRU KALYANA UTHSAVAM was performed for perumal and thayars. This

was truly a rare occasion witnessed in North America far away from

our Holy motherland where close to 150 bhagavathas sponsored for the

FIRST KALYANA UTHSAVAM of Sri Venugopala Perumal. Indeed the

bhagavathas were blessed to be part of this holy kainkaryam ! At the

conclusion of Thiru Kalyana Uthsavam of Sri Venugopala Perumal, a

grand sathumurai took place chanting sri sookthis of our

purvacharyas. The resonance it carried was a treat to ears ! This was

immediately followed by Acharya Sambhavana for all our PurvacharyAs.

Theertha goshti followed this where Swami Desikan's and Srimath

Periandavan's vazhi thirunamam was recited followed by Sri Desika

Mangalam and Srimath Periandavan Mangalam. As it has been a customary

recitation here in the United States by Srimath Andavan sishyas, the

entire dhanian of all our purvacharyas of Srirangam Srimath Andavan

Periashramam was recited during the theertha goshti. It was amazing

to see all the assembled bhagavathas line up in queue to wait for

their turn to have the Perumal theertham, SatAri, Sri Bhashyakar

theertham and paduka theerthams of the all the purvacharyas of

Srirangam Srimath Andavan Periashramam. Adiyen is not exaggerating -

it took almost an hour to distribute the theertha prasadam for the

assmbled bhagavathas. The discipline followed by them was truly

exemplary ! A special Maryadhai for the perumal came from Sri

Ranganatha Temple, Pomona,NY. Some sweets were also brought from the

temple as "seer" for the Kalyana Uthsavam of perumal. A grand

feast(prasadam) was arranged for all the devotees who came for the

uthsavam. It was amazing to see that with so many

devotees turning up, no one went back disappointed without having

food. Such was the meticulous preparation undertaken by organizers. A

grand Dolothsavam(swing ceremony) was performed for Sri Rukmini

Sathyabhama Sametha Sri Venugopala Perumal who were seated in the

silver dolai decorated with beautiful flowers. The alankaram done for

the deities was truly a great sight to behold. Cultural events were

organized during the dolothsavam. Soul stirring Songs were rendered

on Perumal by various devotees that included small children also.

Nama sankeertharnam was also arranged which went for about 30

minutes. Finally the mahothsavam concluded with a captivating 45

minute play on Sri Koorathazwan which was organized by devotees who

came from Washington DC area for the occasion.

 

This uthsavam was truly once-in-a-life time event which the devotees

will cherish in their memories for years to come. The entire credit

goes to the organizers and volunteers who worked through minute

details to have successfully arranged the event of this magnitude !!

So many devotees had a heavy feeling that the uthsavam was coming to

end. They were longing for more and more of this sathsangam on a

frequent basis. adiyen is sure Sri Rukmini Sathyabhama sametha Sri

Venugopala Perumal will show us a way in realizing their wishes.

 

 

Dasan, Venkat Sreenivasan

For Sri Ramanuja Mission of Srirangam Srimath Andavan Asramam