Guest guest Posted March 3, 2009 Report Share Posted March 3, 2009 Record attendance for Maha Shiva Ratri IndiaPost.com - Union City,CA,USA Tuesday, 03.03.2009. Â RIVERSIDE: The Shri Lakshmi Narayan Mandir remained open the entire day Monday for Maha Shiva Ratri, the Great Night of Shiva. All day the Mandir remained busy as devotees came for abhishekam. The main event began at 6 pm with sankalpa followed by recitation of Shiva slokas. Everyone rose and formed a long thick line for abhishekam. The line continued for the entire night as more devotees arrived. After abhishekam everyone sat down and awaited their favorite part of the evening, the vivaha, wedding. A procession was formed with Pandit Shukavak Dasa leading on gong. He was followed by Mandir President Bachubhai Chandravadia and Vice President Lakshman Koka both blowing conches. Many children joined the procession holding pennants on poles. Shiva and His two consorts Uma and Ganga were carried on special wooden platforms held high on the shoulders of devotees. The procession ended with the women of the Festivals Committee dressed in blue and carrying offerings of jai malas, fruits, and flowers. As Shiva and His consorts drew closer to the mandap, where the wedding would be held, the chanting Om Namah Shivaya of the bhaktas grew louder. The long procession snaked its way passed the continuing line awaiting abhishek, through the crowded seated devotees to the mandap where the deities were installed for the wedding where Pandits Shukavak Dasa, Seshacaryulu Samudrala and Vipul Jani officiated. By this time the Mandir had filled with a record of 1200 attending. After the wedding a delicious Prasad, donated by Punjab Palace, was served. Many singers including a Corona group of Sathya Sai Baba devotees and Sai Raja performed bhajans. Many devotees stayed until midnight and a few did not leave until after 2 am.Maha Shiva Ratri is considered especially auspicious for women. Married women pray for the well being of their husbands and sons, while unmarried women pray for an ideal husband like Shiva, who is the spouse of Kali, Parvati and Durga. It is believed that anyone who utters the name of Shiva during Shivratri with pure devotion is freed from all sins and is liberated from the cycle of birth and death.Victoria Truver http://indiapost.com/article/communitypost/5709/No virus found in this outgoing messageChecked by PC Tools AntiVirus (5.0.1.1 - 10.100.099).http://www.pctools.com/free-antivirus/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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