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SriSri ChakraChakra The Source of the Cosmos The Journal of the Sri Rajarajeswari Peetam, Rush, NY Blossom 16 Petal 3 September 2012 SeptemberSeptemberSeptember NewsletNewsletNewsletterterter Since the last issue... After returning from the In the latter part of July, Aiya camp ended, he had to honour a Toronto workshop Aiya and Amma left for Europe again, prior commitment he made to the conducted on June 2, he and but this time met up with Sri students in Australia and Amma remained in Toronto that Mathioli Saraswati (Sri Akka) for Singapore, and was on a plane to following week to perform about 10 days. visit them for about three weeks. various private pujas. On the 9th Aiya had to miss the first two While he was abroad, Aiya and 10th of June, they went to days of the Vibhuti Saivaite performed several workshops, Washington DC to perform a Immersion camp, but was there house pujas, public pujas and wedding and then came back to most of the week. Even before conducted university lectures. Canada to do another wedding in Ottawa on June 16th and 17th. Aiya was back in Rochester the weekend of the 23rd and 24th because he was teaching one of the ILS (Interactive Learning Sessions) classes. That week was also quite busy since everyone was preparing for the annual Alankara (Pratishta) festival from July 1 to 3. In the second week of July, Aiya Thanks to Mayuran Saththianathan and Amma went to England for a for sending in photos of Aiya’s private visit but then returned in homam/puja at the site of the time to conduct the Aadi upcoming Shree Shirdi Sai Amavasya puja at the temple. Sansthan in Sydney, Australia. 2 Past Events Aadi Amavasya, July 18 About 50 people sponsored this puja, in which individuals offer oblations to the departed souls of their fathers (if they do not know Pratishta Festival, July 1-3, and the thithi and month of their Guru Poornima, July 3 father’s departure, or have missed that date). The turnout was remarkable, Pratishta had a slightly lower considering the puja happened on turnout than in past years a Wednesday morning. After a because of the adjustment in short puja, sponsors went outside scheduling to coincide with Guru to perform tarpanam. Aiya, who Poornima. The first day was Good weather allowed all sponsors conducted the puja, offered the Sunday instead of the usual to perform their own tarpanams main kalasam with five pindams. Friday, and the Ganesha festival went on as usual with a grand Aadi Puram, July 22 Varalakshmi Vratam, July 27 Ganapathi homam in the morning, followed by the utsava Vana Ganapathi’s procession around Durga At least 75 sumangalis (married the temple at night. during women) sponsored this puja, and Early Monday morning saw a the final the subsequent number of spots Chandi homam, followed by aarthi of were set up, row by row, kalasa sthapanam and the Aadi surrounding the Devi standing annapavadai being offered to the Puram atop the homakundam. Devi at midday. That night, the festival. A large lamp was dressed as a Devi’s chariot lit up the parking woman with the customary silver lot. Varalakshmi face fastened at the The temple’s children ran the top. All the puja sponsors show on Tuesday for the performed their own Sri Suktam Dattatreya puja, and puja was Falling on a Sunday this year, pujas to the small lamps before also done to Aiya and Amma, as many people were able to attend them, guided by Shankar aiya to well as the whole guru lineage, for the festival that celebrates the do the puja step-by-step, in Guru Poornima that day. Devi’s entrance into womanhood. unison. Shankar aiya presided over the Chandi homam on this day, which took four or five hours to complete. The Vana Durga murthi was bathed in milk by everyone present, then dressed, carried in procession, and finally given a short puja featuring a variety of snacks and sweets. The festival wrapped up at about lunchtime and everyone present was then given Kumaran aiya worships the Bhairava as Devi’s chariot waits to move on. mahaprasadam. Vibhuti Saivaite Immersion Ramsuratkumar of Annamalai, as park. The kids were fed a pure (camp), July 28 to Aug. 4 well as various aspects of the vegetarian diet, even during the culture within Sanatana Dharma. outing and barbecue at the end of Arts classes showed them how to the week. Special thanks to all the The eighth year of camp was the string kalasams, tie malas, and camp admin, the temple admin, largest but many agree perhaps draw kolams. the counselors who gave their all the best. The temple took on 110 They learned the important to the kids during the day despite children from the ages of 8 to 19, aspects of seva and how to many sleepless nights, the medical who experienced a variety of operate a temple, and also spent a team, the parents who stayed on activities throughout the week. lot of time outdoors during sports site and ran the temple for the They learned about two saints, and games and during the full- week, and Aiya and Amma. See Sri Yogaswami of Jaffna, and Sri day outing to a local Rochester page 5 for camp pictures. 3 The many forms of the Mother Upcoming Events Sharada Navarathri, Oct. 15 to 25 Ganapathi Chaturthi, Sept. 19 The Brahmotsavam of this temple, Navarathri lasts a full three weeks from beginning to end. Falling on a Wednesday this The flag-raising, or dvajarohanam, year, Ganapathi Chaturthi is will take place the evening of Oct. usually the last exclusively 8. outdoor event of the year, subject About a week later, the start of Shankar aiya performs puja to the Devi as to good weather. Navarathri proper will see three Mahalakshmi, seated upon Kamadhenu. If sunny and clear, the festival full days of worship to the Devi as will be held outside on the deck Goddess Durga. Devi will take the Kedaragowri Vratham (last day), and a grand Vancha-kalpa form of Mahalakshmi over the next Nov. 13 Ganapathi homam will be three days, and the last three days conducted in the morning. At will see her become Goddess night, the utsava Ganesha murthi Saraswati. Beginning on Vijayadasami will receive puja and be taken Every third night, the Devi will day (even before Navarathri is around the temple in procession go around the temple in over), this festival on a palanquin. procession, and a different upasaka commemorates the Devi merging will perform Navavarana Puja with Shiva and occupying half every evening. his body. Married women Important days include Chandi typically perform this vratham homam and Vijayadasami on Oct. to pray for the well-being of their 24, water-cutting ceremony on husbands. Please call the temple Oct. 25, and kulurthi on Oct. 26. early to register as a sponsor. Skanda Shashti, Nov. 14 to 18 In Three Months Starting with nightly pujas to Devi willing, the next issue of Lord Murugan and his two lovely the Sri Chakra will be up on the wives, and culminating in Sura temple’s website at the beginning Samharam and Devayani and of December 2012. Valli kalyanam, this festival runs This magazine cannot keep Utsava Ganapathi and Siddhalakshmi for six nights. Those present are publishing without receive abhishekam at last year’s often given the chance to perform contributions! Articles, poems, Chaturthi celebrations part of the puja themselves. stories and photos about any spiritual topic are welcomed. Karthikai Vilakku, Nov. 27 The next deadline for article submission is November 10. Please e-mail us with your contributions or feedback about The temple is lit up like a this issue at Christmas tree this evening, and [email protected] or even though Karthikai Vilakku (or talk to Kamya or Abhi at the deepam) is only a one-night temple. festival, it is certainly one of the Sri Gurubhyo Namaha! most beautiful of the year. After the main puja is complete, scores of tea candles and deepams will Our sincere thanks and gratitude to this issue’s be set afire and the lights will be turned off. vvvolunteers: Aiya,a,a, Vilas Ankolekar,,, Sarmel Arudsothiy,,, This is the night that hundreds VVVenkateshwar Babu,u,u, B. JJ. aaayyyaraman, Ramesh Kutticad, of people perform girivalam in Anand Panikkar,,, Kumaran Perinpanatan, Mayuran Thiruvannamalai (pradakshanam of the Annamalai mountain, Saththianathan, Vimalan Sothinathan, Sreekant which is a 14-kilometre trek), in Subramanian, and Dhanuja Uthayakumaran. an act of worship to Lord Shiva. The Sri Rajarajeswari Peetam ~ 6980 East River Road ~ Rush, NY 14543 ~ Phone: (585) 533 - 1970 4 The many forms of the Mother Madhu and Nikhil take part in Raksha Bandhan, where The kids learn teamwork activities on the outing sisters pray for the well-being of their brothers. VibhutiVibhuti SaivaiteSaivaite Immersion,Immersion, 20122012 Clockwise from top left: Amma trusts Pravin immensely during her first time in a canoe; Sahana akka instructs a class; Aiya and the admin team run the food table during the outing; the kids sit in complete silence during Vedic lunch; and Lord Nataraja decorated with the malas campers made during art class. 5 The many forms of the Mother MyMy AwakeningAwakening by Dhanuja Uthayakumaran I’ve been coming to the temple 2) I didn’t believe in any of this, inside, sit, and “try” and do for the past 12 years. I’ve had and japam—see if I could bring myself diksha for the past 10. In the 3) it would have been a waste of back.