Sri Chakra The Source of the Cosmos The Journal of the Sri Rajarajeswari Peetam, Rush, NY Blossom 13 Petal 1 March 2009 Om Nama Shivaya... MarchMarch NewsletterNewsletter Since the last issue... The beginning of December saw Aiya come up to Toronto to teach the kids’ class and Kitchener/ Waterloo to teach a class and make personal visits. He was back in Rochester for Karthikai Deepam on Dec. 11. The temple hosted large crowds later in the month when it Clockwise from top: Aiya was hosted a Rudra homam workshop honoured by Nemili Ezhilmani; on the 27th and the annual kids’ Annamalai temple and mountain; Aiya Matangi homam on the 28th. and Amma at the conference; Aiya The next big event after that was delivering his address on mantra, tantra and yantra; our gurus hanging Thiruvempavai for the first 10 days out with their gurus. of 2009. After Ardhra Dharshanam, Aiya and Amma briefly visited Delaware before embarking on a two-week trip to India. Satpurananda. They were in Kanchipuram and After the conference, Amma and Nemili on the 16th, where they Aiya flew to Visakapatnam to see received a wonderful welcome. Ammah and Guruji and also to Aiya’s rendition of Bala Kavacham visit Devipuram. After that, they was playing as they entered the went to kumbhakonam and later Nemili peetam. From there, Amma met Sri Shangaranarayanan to and Aiya went to Thiruvannamalai, discuss items needed for the SVTS and then Chidambaram. kumbhabhishekam in 2010. They then came back to Upon returning from India on Chennai, where they visited the evening of Jan. 30, Aiya and several temples including Kashi Amma immediately flew to Dallas Vishwanathan, Marundheeshwarar, the next morning for a week, then Kapaleeshwarar, Malikeshwarar New Jersey on Feb. 5, and then for a and Theerthapalishwarar, who grihapravesham in North Carolina was once worshipped by the sage Feb. 7. Agastya. The President’s Day long weekend Aiya and Amma were then in saw them visit Toronto to teach a Hyderabad on Jan. 24-25 for a Sri kids’ class, but they soon returned to Vidya conference on mantra, yantra, Rochester to prepare for Shivarathri. and tantra, which Aiya chaired for the afternoon session of the first day. The paper he presented was fairly well received, but Aiya was very impressed by a very knowledgable aghori named Kula Avadhuta 2 ... Shivaya Nama Om Past Events Thiruvempavai, Jan. 1-Jan. 10 Every morning, Aiya and Top: Sivakami Karthikai Vilakku, Dec. 11 whomever was at the temple and her performed the 5 a.m. pujas to Lord Lord bathed Nataraja. The 10th and last day in viboothi Falling on a Thursday night, this of Ardhra Dharshanam gave all Bottom: The short but beautiful festival day devotees the chance to perform final chariot marked the day that Lord Shiva milk abhishekam to the Lord and procession settled in Thiruvannamalai in the Devi Sivakami while everyone form of fire. sang the holy verses from the At the temple, this event was done Thirupalliyezuchi. by lighting hundreds of deepams That morning, the divine couple and candles throughout the was royally bathed in viboothi, bilva yajnashala and inner temple, as well leaves, and honey, which everyone as a puja to Lord Shiva. was later given to take home as prasadam. Spontaneous bhajans in Lord Kids’ Matangi homam, Dec. 28 Shiva’s name broke out while volunteers dressed the murthis. The festival also saw a dance This perfectly organized homam performance from Purvaja to is run entirely by the temple’s youth honour Nataraja as the Lord of puja, which lasted almost four group, comprised of kids 20 years the dance, as well as an elaborate hours. of age or younger. Several other bilva archana. Little Seyon held the children sponsored and offered texts penned by the Nayanar saint ahutis into the homam with the Manickavasagar as devotees pulled Shivarathri, Feb. 22 Laghu Shyamala mantra as their his mini-chariot around the temple parents watched from behind a in procession. barrier. That evening was also poornima, The night started out with The youth group did everything and featured a rare treat. Aiya Pradosham puja, and eventually from decorating the yajnashala, to himself sat for a grand Navavarna settled into the continuous chanting readying the purnahutis, to dressing of 11 Rudrams, accompanied the Devi and every murthi inside by bilva archana for 11 Shiva the temple. shrines throughout the temple and In all, about 130 kids showed yajnashala. up and sat for the homam, which Devotees were kept on their is done to pray to Matangi Devi feet all night long and given an for all success in education, the unlimited supply of bilvam to offer arts and any type of intellectual Lord Shiva in his many forms. The endeavour. After the homam and Rudraksha Stotra Namavali was mahaprasadam, Aiya and some of also chanted, and rudrakshas were the kids held a bhajan session to offered to the Lord as they were last wind down the day. year. Visitors were also given the chance Left: to do milk abhishekam for the main Sreekant and Vyshna murthis, and the chance to witness a put their Rudra homam. purnahuti into the fire Right: All the children sat right up against the homa kundam (in pre-assigned groups) and gave ahutis with their Left: Everyone did milk abhishekam during own hands Pradosham puja and Shivarathri puja Right: All Shivalingams were covered in 3 bilva leaves by the end of the night. Om Nama Shivaya... Upcoming Events Annual Pratishta (May Festival), May 15-17 Tamil New Year/Pratyangira This will be the temple’s 11th homam, April 19 year, and the Pratishta will run as usual—the first day will feature a Vancha-Kalpa Ganapathi homam This tradition of celebrating the with 1008 modakams offered into the new year with a Pratyangira homam fire. Utsava Ganapathi will also circle for devotees began about four years the temple in the evening. ago. It typically takes place on the The second day will begin with Top to bottom: Sunday closest to the new year’s a Chandi homam at 5 a.m. and The Chandi day and features the offering of continue with a full kalasa sthapana homam draws several kilograms of red chillies in and concerts in the afternoon. Devi’s a large crowd; all shapes and sizes. massive chariot will go around the anna-pavadai is In the week leading up to the temple after the evening puja. offered to Devi; homam, devotees may sign up On the third day, the children 1008 valampuri shankams to prepare a palaharam (a cooked will do the puja to the lineage’s are set up for snack) to be offered into the fire. guru, Lord Dattatreya. Usually, abhishekam; All palaharams must be made at abhishekam with 1008 shankams the 2-storey the temple and devotees must sign takes up the full day. In the evening, electric chariot up for a cooking slot well ahead of the children dress a small Dattretreya goes out after time. Please call the temple and let murthi and pull him around the the second full Selvan or Aiya know what you wish temple in his own special lightweight day of puja. to prepare. chariot. All are welcome to attend and join in! Venu bhaya In Three Months helped distribute more than Devi willing, the next issue of 50 types of the Sri Chakra Magazine will be palaharams up on the temple’s website (www. into plate- srividya.org) at the beginning of sized June 2009. offerings at This magazine cannot keep last year’s Pratyangira publishing without contributions homam. from devotees! Articles, poems, stories, and the like about any spiritual topic are welcomed. The next deadline for article submission is May 9. Please e-mail us with your contributions or Chitra Poornima, May 8 feedback about this issue at sri_ [email protected] or talk to Kamya or Abhi at the temple. We Devotees whose mothers have want to hear from you! passed on gather at the temple on Sri Gurubhyo Namaha! this day to offer tarpanam to the one who gave them life. Tarpanam is typically not done on poornima (full moon) but on amavasya (the A big thank-you to this issue’s new moon). At a temple that follows volunteers: Aiya, Gratus Devanesan, the Sri Vidya tradition, however, Sudha Priya Kearney, Dr. Seyon mothers hold an exalted position as the very embodiments of the Devi. Sathiaseelan, Dr. A. Somaskanda, and Those who wish to participate Shobana Sudhakar. must call the temple to register. 4 The Sri Rajarajeswari Peetam ~ 6980 East River Road ~ Rush, NY 14543 ~ Phone: (585) 533 - 1970 ... Shivaya Nama Om b h i s h a h e m b k u The Sri Rajarajeswari Peetam will be hosting its a Punarutharuna Kumbhabhishekam July 1-11, 2010. m K The chosen event has only been attempted on this scale once before, and only then by the devatas: Athi Rudra homam. Over 11 days, 11 Rudra homams will be performed daily in each of 121 homakundams. More than 2 million ahutis will offered by the event’s end. First preference for yajamanis and yajamanas goes to those who have received mantra diksha within Aiya’s lineage, and can correctly chant the Rudram. Volunteers are always welcome. The youth group is training kids for various duties. If interested, contact them at [email protected] right away. Several sponsorship opportunities are also available: sitting for homam, required puja items, food, kalasams, etc. Call 1-585-533-1970. Update Parents’ blessings by Dr. Seyon Sathiaseelan Sri Sathya Sai Baba once said, and care for our parents who have “Blood, food, head and money are done so much for us.