Makara Sankranti Sponsorship January 14, 2003

[Guest guest]

Makara Sankranti is celebrated on January 14, 2003

Datta Temple, Baton Rouge

 

Makara Sankranti is the day when sun enters the constellation of Makara

(Capricorn) and begins to move toward the North (Uttaraayana path). The

Sankranti of any month is considered auspicious as it signifies a fresh

start. However Makara Sankranti is celebrated in the month of Magha when the

sun passes through the winter solstice, from the Tropic of Cancer to the

Tropic of Capricorn. It is celebrated on January 14th, and is the only

festival in the Indian calendar which is not celebrated on a fixed day of the

lunar month. It is considered very auspicious day. In Hindu belief, a person

dying on this auspicious day directly goes to the heaven. Bhishma, an elder

statesman in the epic of Mahabharata, is said to have waited long on his bed

of arrows for this day to breathe his last. It is also on this day every

twelve years the Great Kumbh-Mela is held at Prayag.

 

The Sun is the deity that controls the eye, the vision of man, and so these

six months when the sun is proceeding in the direction of North (Siva), are

very propitious for man to do likewise.

 

This year the Sankranti is even more auspicious because it is also the day of

Sri Vaikuntha Ekadasi. On this day special Pujas are being conducted at Datta

Venkateswara Temple at Avadhuta Datta Peetham, Mysore. On this very day when,

during the Sagara mathana (churning of the ocean), Amritha (nectar) emerged

and was distributed to the Gods. Vaikunta Ekadasi is considered an extremely

auspicious day since "Vaikunta Dwaram"- the door to heaven- is open, on this

day and any pilgrim who goes through the door will achieve salvation. The

Vaikunta Ekadasi changes from year to year, but this year it occurred on

Makara Sankranti Day.

 

Makara Sankranti on January 14 is also auspicious since Lord Ayyappa, who is

the son of Mohini and Siva, residing on the banks of Pampa River appears in

the form of Ayyappa Jyoti in the evening on this day. Devotees undertake

pilgrimage to Sabarimala to have darshan of Lord Ayyappa. It starts at the

village Irumeli because it is the place where young lad Ayyappa had set out

to get the tiger's milk for the 'ailing' queen. Pilgrims congregate here,

ready to replicate his journey.  Devotees pay obeisance to a Muslim god known

as Waaver. Then they perform a Puja under a guruswamy (chief devotee) and go

in a group with him. They do the Petta Thulal (dance of the hunters) after

painting their torsos, waving weapons, wearing arrows in their head bands.

The ritual is in memory of the holy dance Ayyappa did on the mortal body of

Mahishi.

 

They travel 50 kilometers and go to Pamba River to take bath and have darshan

of Pamba Ganapathi before they continue the journey to Sabarimala. Then they

climb 18 steps to go to the Ayyappa Temple to have His Darshan. These 18

steps are considered the eighteen steps to Swarga Loka.  These steps

represent 8 Ashta Raagaas, 2 Vidya Avidyas, 5 Panchabhutas and 3 gunas.

 

At Datta Temple and Hall of Trinity in Baton Rouge, we are conducting a

Special Puja as we celebrate the  in culmination of three special events -

Makara Sankranti, Vaikunta Ekadasi and Ayyappa Makara Jyoti. There will be a

special 18 steps song (Padpaadil song) and show 18 lamps to Lord Ayyappa.

 

Sponsorship of Puja

 

Devotee can sponsor the Special Makara Sankranti Puja for $21. (Send your

check payable to: D Y C, 6221 Equity Drive. Baton Roge LA 70809)

 

Please send your Name, names of family members, Gotra and nakshatra

immediately to:

 

Dattatemple @ aol.com. Phone: 225-751-8949.

 

SPECIAL REQUEST:

 

Please send the names of people with health or any other problems to

Datta Temple so that the priests can do special Puja for them on this day

with gotra, date of birth and nakshatra.

 

Please send this information to:

 

Dattatemple @ aol.com. Phone: 225-751-8949.

 

Deadline:

 

Deadline to sponsor or send relevant information is January 14 by NOON

 

             Please FORWARD it to other interested people

 

Thanks

 

V. V. Prakasa Rao