Maha Shivarathri

[Guest guest]

Last night ( Tuesday 3-12 ) I attended Maha Shivarathri at my local temple(

Malibu Temple) I arrived after work at ten pm in time for the end of the 1st

Kaala Puja which began 4:30pm. There were about 250 people present including a

nice showing of non-indians westeners like myself. As folks socialized and took

prasadam ( I was fasting ) we were treated to a very fine performance by a trio

made up of voice, violin and drum they played a long set and the young woman on

the drum was very good. Next came the dancers 12 of them a mixed age group of

young and older woman, including a older white woman who danced as well as her

companions.

Midnight began the 2nd Kaala Puja, Rudra Abhishekam ,Alankaaram.Archana

Aaarathi, Prasadam. A group of devotees chanted Sri Rudram Namakam and Chamakam

as Shastri the priest/pujari bathed the large black granite Lingam with

milk,honey yogurt etc. rubbed the Lingam with red sandal wood past. Shastri

made offerings of incense, 3 lamps and fruit the Lingam was then rinsed with

water, then shine curtains were closed and we sang bhajans and chanted mantras.

When the curtain was opened the Lingam is now beautifully decorated with clothes

and flower garlands. Shastri now chants the mantras as he places flowers on and

about the Lingam. Then prasadam is distributed.

By the time the 3rd Kaala Puja begins at 2:30am the crowd has thined to 25

people 5 of whom are non indian westeners like my self. To keep awake we chant,

do japa, talk with the assisting priests and Ben a Joytish expert gives

consultations using a program on his "Palm Pilot" ! At 4:30am our little group

moves closer to the shrine for the final Kaala Puja when it seems that there is

no milk for the Abhishekam a elderly white woman go to her car and returns with

milk and flowers that she has held back just for this moment. Now there are

broad smiles among the priests and devotees and the Puja begins.

I enjoy and am inspired by Maha Shivarathri to see and hear people of all caste,

color, race and creed come together to take part in this ancient ritual of

worship and connection with the All Prevading Divine gives me hope and

encouagement in these times of war and hate and violence. Having broke our fast

our bellies fill with prasadam and groggy with lack sleep my friend Bob drove us

home chanting to Sri Ganesha for guidence and protection as we went and so we

arrived safe. Oh! here is a little thing that I almost forgot during the early

part of the evening I noticed a familier looking young white man, thinking that

it was someone I'd met before I shook his hand and introduced my self...He

introduced him self as Robert it was than that I recognized him as the film/tv

actor Robert Downey Jr.

Well I will end here and wish everyone Peace and Love, and welcome to all the

new members. May the Blessings of Sri Ganesha be with us all. Om Sri Ganeshaya

Namaha

Lambodara Das

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[Guest guest]

Lambodara,

Thanks for sharing your experiences, it was very enlightening.

I wanted to ask you if I could possibly post it on my homepage. In

case you have any pictures or drawings, I can post those too!

 

I have desperately wanted to go to that Malibu temple, it is very

much like South Indian temples .. isn't that there are outdoor graba

grahams there?

 

Leopard_skin

Hi! Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us. Unfortunately, I can

not answer your doubt. I hope someone else can help. If not by a few

weeks, I will try to find out through my Indian friends.

 

Group- I will be going away next week. I am not sure how much I can

check e-mail. I am going to Kansas City to meet a friend, and

hopefully go to the temple there! I am excited. This friend has been

my email friend for over a year. We are very close.

 

Soon, Holi is coming (by month's end) and Ramavami (next month)-

Ram's birthday.

 

Bye for now,

Jennifer

[Guest guest]

Namaste Lambodara,

 

Thanks for sharing your experience! Made me feel I was present there

myself and I could just see everything from your vivid description.

Fancy Robert Downey Jr. being there as well, wowee.. He's much

admired in Australia too, despite the 'bad-boy' image from the past.

 

Aum Ganesh,

Sy

 

, Lambodara Das <lambodara_das> wrote:

>

> Namaste All,

>

> Last night ( Tuesday 3-12 ) I attended Maha Shivarathri at my local

temple( Malibu Temple) I arrived after work at ten pm in time for the

end of the 1st Kaala Puja which began 4:30pm. There were about 250

people present including a nice showing of non-indians westeners like

myself. As folks socialized and took prasadam ( I was fasting ) we

were treated to a very fine performance by a trio made up of voice,

violin and drum they played a long set and the young woman on the

drum was very good. Next came the dancers 12 of them a mixed age

group of young and older woman, including a older white woman who

danced as well as her companions.

>

> Midnight began the 2nd Kaala Puja, Rudra

Abhishekam ,Alankaaram.Archana Aaarathi, Prasadam. A group of

devotees chanted Sri Rudram Namakam and Chamakam as Shastri the

priest/pujari bathed the large black granite Lingam with milk,honey

yogurt etc. rubbed the Lingam with red sandal wood past. Shastri made

offerings of incense, 3 lamps and fruit the Lingam was then rinsed

with water, then shine curtains were closed and we sang bhajans and

chanted mantras. When the curtain was opened the Lingam is now

beautifully decorated with clothes and flower garlands. Shastri now

chants the mantras as he places flowers on and about the Lingam. Then

prasadam is distributed.

>

> By the time the 3rd Kaala Puja begins at 2:30am the crowd has

thined to 25 people 5 of whom are non indian westeners like my self.

To keep awake we chant, do japa, talk with the assisting priests and

Ben a Joytish expert gives consultations using a program on his "Palm

Pilot" ! At 4:30am our little group moves closer to the shrine for

the final Kaala Puja when it seems that there is no milk for the

Abhishekam a elderly white woman go to her car and returns with milk

and flowers that she has held back just for this moment. Now there

are broad smiles among the priests and devotees and the Puja begins.

>

> I enjoy and am inspired by Maha Shivarathri to see and hear people

of all caste, color, race and creed come together to take part in

this ancient ritual of worship and connection with the All Prevading

Divine gives me hope and encouagement in these times of war and hate

and violence. Having broke our fast our bellies fill with prasadam

and groggy with lack sleep my friend Bob drove us home chanting to

Sri Ganesha for guidence and protection as we went and so we arrived

safe. Oh! here is a little thing that I almost forgot during the

early part of the evening I noticed a familier looking young white

man, thinking that it was someone I'd met before I shook his hand and

introduced my self...He introduced him self as Robert it was than

that I recognized him as the film/tv actor Robert Downey Jr.

>

> Well I will end here and wish everyone Peace and Love, and welcome

to all the new members. May the Blessings of Sri Ganesha be with us

all. Om Sri Ganeshaya Namaha

>

>

Lambodara Das

>