By A STAFF REPORTER
ARTESIA, CA: Nearly 600 people drove from far and near, each day to attend a unique seven-day Ganesh Mahotsav organized by the Norwalk-based Radha Krishna Mandir in the heart of ‘Little India’ here. Conducted under a beautifully decorated tent on open grounds, it was in the Southland, said the organizers,
ARTESIA, CA: Nearly 600 people drove from far and near, each day to attend a unique seven-day Ganesh Mahotsav organized by the Norwalk-based Radha Krishna Mandir in the heart of ‘Little India’ here. Conducted under a beautifully decorated tent on open grounds, it was in the Southland, said the organizers,
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the first ever Ganpati worship with a 6-feet high deity.
In India, Ganpati now wears various looks, from traditional to modern, in different forms and positions. However, one of the most prominent is from Lalbaug of Mumbai, known popularly as ‘Lalbaug ka Raja.’ The Radha Krishna Mandir, brought a replica of Lalbaug ka Raja, though a little smaller than its original, to make it known as ‘L.A. ka Raja.’ The ‘L A ka Raja’ arrived from India on the very day of Ganesh Chaturthi, the first day of the Ganesh festival, the day most people bring the deity home.
This ‘Raja’, soon drew devotees from a cross section of Indians – Maharashtrians, Punjabis, Sindhis, South Indians, Biharis, from Uttar Pradesh, Gujaratis and Jains. For the temple, which is celebrating forty years of its existence, making it the oldest temple on the west of the Mississippi and the third oldest in the U.S., this event was gratifying. Back in the day, Ganpati Utsav was started by India’s freedom fighter Lokmanya Tilak just to bring people together. For Pravin Patel, the president of the temple and whose brainchild this was to celebrate it in a similar manner in SoCal, it was gratifying to see all communities gather under one tent.
Varied programs were held during the celebrations. During the day, different kinds of pujas were performed, among them: with 1008 ladoos, with Durva (a three-prong sacred grass), kesar jal abhishek and panchamruti. As word spread about the event, people came in chartered buses from Northridge, San Diego and Apple Valley. For the benefit of the devotees, two aartis were held each day, one at culmination of puja and the other at the end of the entertainment program. The day would end with mahaprasad, which would start earlier to facilitate those who came directly from work, tired and hungry.
The evenings unfolded with a variety of entertainment. Performances showcased local Indian talent, from Bollywood to devotional bhajans and from folk to classical. Friends from Maharashtra Mandal, Rashmi Shah of Bollywood Beats, Rainbow Moods, Indie Beats, An Evening with Amit Anand and Mahesh Jolly, Ek Shyam with Hanif Noor Mohammad and Deepak Kumarji, and Rambhai of Bollywood were the featured performances. The grand finale on Sept. 18, was an evening of devotional songs and bhajans by stalwarts like Arvindbhai Joshi, Babubhai Gorajia, Kirtibhai and Mayuriben Patel, Rekhaben and Kirtibhai Dave, Vilasbhai Joshi, Vilasbhai Jadhav and Narendrabhai. Dances were by students of Savithri Art Academy, Nitya Shetra Dance School, Shiv Dance Academy and the Women’s Group of Radha Krishna.
According to Deepak Jhaveri, Radha Krishna Mandir vice president this landmark event served as a boost for its fundraising activities geared toward the renovation and reconstruction of the present temple site.
The week long celebrations culminated with over a hundred people joining the Ganesh Visarjan, some with their own idols of Lord Ganesh as they were carried on a huge boat and immersed in the ocean several miles inside from Long Beach, amidst loud chants of “Ganpati Bappa Morrya, Pudhcha Varshi Lavkar Ya… (come soon gain next year).”
In India, Ganpati now wears various looks, from traditional to modern, in different forms and positions. However, one of the most prominent is from Lalbaug of Mumbai, known popularly as ‘Lalbaug ka Raja.’ The Radha Krishna Mandir, brought a replica of Lalbaug ka Raja, though a little smaller than its original, to make it known as ‘L.A. ka Raja.’ The ‘L A ka Raja’ arrived from India on the very day of Ganesh Chaturthi, the first day of the Ganesh festival, the day most people bring the deity home.
This ‘Raja’, soon drew devotees from a cross section of Indians – Maharashtrians, Punjabis, Sindhis, South Indians, Biharis, from Uttar Pradesh, Gujaratis and Jains. For the temple, which is celebrating forty years of its existence, making it the oldest temple on the west of the Mississippi and the third oldest in the U.S., this event was gratifying. Back in the day, Ganpati Utsav was started by India’s freedom fighter Lokmanya Tilak just to bring people together. For Pravin Patel, the president of the temple and whose brainchild this was to celebrate it in a similar manner in SoCal, it was gratifying to see all communities gather under one tent.
Varied programs were held during the celebrations. During the day, different kinds of pujas were performed, among them: with 1008 ladoos, with Durva (a three-prong sacred grass), kesar jal abhishek and panchamruti. As word spread about the event, people came in chartered buses from Northridge, San Diego and Apple Valley. For the benefit of the devotees, two aartis were held each day, one at culmination of puja and the other at the end of the entertainment program. The day would end with mahaprasad, which would start earlier to facilitate those who came directly from work, tired and hungry.
The evenings unfolded with a variety of entertainment. Performances showcased local Indian talent, from Bollywood to devotional bhajans and from folk to classical. Friends from Maharashtra Mandal, Rashmi Shah of Bollywood Beats, Rainbow Moods, Indie Beats, An Evening with Amit Anand and Mahesh Jolly, Ek Shyam with Hanif Noor Mohammad and Deepak Kumarji, and Rambhai of Bollywood were the featured performances. The grand finale on Sept. 18, was an evening of devotional songs and bhajans by stalwarts like Arvindbhai Joshi, Babubhai Gorajia, Kirtibhai and Mayuriben Patel, Rekhaben and Kirtibhai Dave, Vilasbhai Joshi, Vilasbhai Jadhav and Narendrabhai. Dances were by students of Savithri Art Academy, Nitya Shetra Dance School, Shiv Dance Academy and the Women’s Group of Radha Krishna.
According to Deepak Jhaveri, Radha Krishna Mandir vice president this landmark event served as a boost for its fundraising activities geared toward the renovation and reconstruction of the present temple site.
The week long celebrations culminated with over a hundred people joining the Ganesh Visarjan, some with their own idols of Lord Ganesh as they were carried on a huge boat and immersed in the ocean several miles inside from Long Beach, amidst loud chants of “Ganpati Bappa Morrya, Pudhcha Varshi Lavkar Ya… (come soon gain next year).”
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