SriSri ChakraChakra The Source of the Cosmos The Journal of the Sri Rajarajeswari Peetam, Rush, NY Blossom 12 Petal 1 March 2008 Yo Rudro! MarchMarchMarch NewsletNewsletNewsletNewsletterterterter Since the last issue... Left to right: The shrine of the 400-year-old Shivalingam in Oman; devotees perform puja with viboothi to the lingam; the shrine as it is after puja and abhishekam have been completed. December kicked off with the CD Jan. 19 there was a very special release concert for Dravida Vedam Sani Pradosham puja. That same VI, for which Aiya and the regular afternoon, temple family from bhajan musicians at the temple Syracuse, Rochester and southern traveled to Toronto. The concert Ontario got together to begin Past Events was held in the Sai Baba temple in filling the brand new temple Scarborough and about 120 library with books. The shelving Thiruvempavai, Dec. 15-24 devotees attended. took hours, during which time by Kamya Ramaswamy The rest of December was pretty hundreds upon hundreds of routine except for the 10-day Aiya’s books were organized by Thiruvempavai festival, during language and subject under the which Aiya stayed at the temple. guidance of Charulata Chawan. After Ardhra Dharshanam (the In mid-February, Aiya went to last day of the festival) on Dec. 24, Oman for one week by invitation it was time to make final to give several talks and lectures. preparations for the third annual He chanted at the Shiva and Raja Matangi homam on Dec. 30. Krishna temples there, met the Kids from Rochester, Toronto and oldest surviving Hindu family in other places flooded the temple to the area (they’d been there for 350 lend a hand during this week. years), and saw a 400-year-old Aiya and Amma traveled to Shivalingam. Aiya performing the abhishekam for California during the second week Our temple’s two large outdoor the final stanza of the of January, but returned by the banalingams are still being Thirupalliyezuchi 16th to greet Corinne Dempsey prepared for installation in the (who published a book about the spring and each of the yoni Devotees arose for puja before temple in 2006) and her husband peetams are still being fashioned. dawn each day for 10 days during Nick who had come to Rochester Please check the temple website this festival, which celebrates from Wisconsin for a visit. On Sat. for updates. Lord Nataraja. 2 Yo Rudro! On Ardhra Dharshanam day, Kids’ Matangi homam, Dec. 30 Aiya chose 20 different groups by Kamya Ramaswamy from the people who were present to perform pancha-upachara puja So many children registered for after each Thirupalliyezuchi this year’s homam that there stanza. After Aiya performed the were several ahutis offered into final abhishekam, volunteers the fire during an event that dressed the deities and set up for lasted an entire morning and well the second half of the puja. into the afternoon. Next, devotees were treated to After a short Ganapathi and traditional dancing and singing Navagraha homam, the kids performances. Then, Shankavi rotated in groups so that Selvan held the celebrated texts everyone would have a chance to while seated on a small chariot sit near the homam. Along with a with Saint Manikkavasagar and purnahuti at the end of each both were pulled in procession. group’s turn, Devi also received a After the final aarthi was done, full outfit including a pavadai, Aiya engaged everyone assembled sari and mangalyam. The mantra in chanting the Shivapuranam in chanted throughout the day was the yajnashala to conclude the the Raja Matangi mantra, which festival. is the longer of the two Shyamala mantras. For more details and pictures, please see Sahana Sivakumaran’s article on page 5. Thai Pongal, Jan. 14 by Kamya Ramaswamy Aiya was away from the temple for Pongal this year, which fell on a weekday. The celebrations were limited but still included the A jaggery shivalingam (top) and the traditional boiling over of the temple’s main shivalingam in the sakkarai pongal kalasam. The garba-graham were just two of naivedyam was offered during several stations received puja the morning puja. throughout the night this Shivarathri. From top to Maha Shivarathri, March 5 with milk, viboothi and then bottom: Lord by Kamya Ramaswamy rudrakshas. Aiya also covered the Nataraja decked Devi, Ganesha and Shiva with out in all his It was a long night that began viboothi. Aiya explained the finery after the on the evening of Wednesday significance of rudrakshas while abhishekam March 5, but also a monumental volunteers dressed the Devi. toward the end of one. This year’s Shivarathri Afterwards, everyone offered the puja; Devi festivities included the offering of bilva and rudrakshas to the Shiva Sivakami rudrakshas, which is something stations to the tune of the Shiva receiving milk that had never before been done Sahasranamam interspersed with abhishekam by at any temple in all of North the 1008 names of the Lalita Aiya; Shankavi America. As in previous years, Sahasranamam. The night holding the those who visited were also given rounded out with the energetic sacred works of bilva leaves to offer at the various chanting of nine more Rudrams. Manikkavasagar Shiva “stations” that were set up As usual, 108 valampuri while devotees pull her around all over the garbha-graham and shankams were set up in the the temple during yajnashala. temple, which were up for procession in a The evening began with a kalasa sponsorship by visitors. After the makeshift stapanam for Ganapathi, the final arthi in the wee hours of the “chariot” Navagraha and Rudra, and was morning, Aiya gave everyone followed by homams for the same prasadam of a few of the deities. Abhishekam was the rudrakshas that had been offered highlight of the night it was done earlier. 3 Yo Rudro! Upcoming Events May Festival (Pratishta), May 16- 1008 valampuri shankam 18 by Kamya Ramaswamy abhishekam has been performed and this may very well be the Tamil New Year and Maha This is the temple’s second most case this year. The evening puja Pratyangira homam, April 13 major festival after Navarathri. and procession of Lord by Kamya Ramaswamy May festival celebrates the Dattatreya will be organized by temple’s anniversary—come this the temple’s children. On Sunday Tamil New Year’s day also spring, the Devi will have been at evening, the festival bali will be happens to fall on a Sunday this her present home for 10 years! offered at the Bhairava tree year—the usual day that the As in previous years, the Friday behind the temple and the water grand Pratyangira homam is starts with the installation of the from the digdevata kalasams performed. This homam is usually digdevata kalasams at about 7 a.m. will be given to Bhairava in held outdoors in the fields behind This day celebrates Ganapathi, abhishekam. At that time, May the temple, and has been a new and includes the welcoming of Festival will conclude. year’s tradition for the past few Vaishno-Durga from St. years. Aiya started performing it Catharines, Ontario. In the In Three Months about three years ago to pray to evening, the Utsa Ganapathi Pratyangira Devi for good tidings receives puja and is carried out in Devi willing, the next issue of and protection in the year ahead. procession. the Sri Chakra Magazine will be Since then, it has blossomed in Saturday is a jam-packed day up on the temple’s website popularity. that starts before dawn with the (www.srividya.org) at the In past years, the homam has annual Chandi homam and then beginning of June 2008. boasted the offering of more than continues at about 9 or 10 a.m. The June issue will be very 50 kilograms of red chilli peppers, with a full Saturday puja. In the special as it will not only be not to mention many different evening, the huge chariot will be published shortly after the types of sweet and savory prepared for the Rajarajeshwari temple’s 10th anniversary palaharams made by devotees in utsava murthi, and anyone who (Pratishta celebration) at its the temple kitchen. wishes to do so may take a turn at present location in Rush, but will In the case of bad weather, the holding the ropes to pull her also come out shortly before homam will be held indoors as around the temple. Aiya’s 65th birthday. was the case last year. If you Sunday is Dattatreya’s day. After To mark this milestone, the Sri would like to register as a the morning digdevata puja, Chakra asks all of its readers to e- sponsor, please call the temple kalasa stapanam and abhishekam mail in their thoughts about the well ahead of time. Last year, close will commence. In past years, the temple and Aiya so that we can to 300 people attended! create a collage of sentiments for the June issue. This magazine cannot keep Chitra Poornima, April 19 publishing without by Kamya Ramaswamy contributions from devotees! Articles, poems, stories, and This is a special day for those the like about any spiritual who have lost their mothers but topic are welcomed and will have been unable to offer tarpanam be accepted. or oblations for her on the Please e-mail us with your anniversary of her passing. feedback about this issue at Usually on this day, Aiya leads a [email protected] puja and guides sponsors through by May 9 or talk to Abhi or the rituals of how to offer tarpanam Kamya at the temple. We to their late mothers. If the want to hear from you! weather permits, part of the puja Meanwhile, the Sri Chakra can and is usually performed would like to extend its outdoors.