BY KALYANI VASAN
RESEDA, CA - The Valley Hindu Temple on April 6 conducted the inaugural ceremony to celebrate Shrimad Devi Bhagawad Katha. Around 400 families performed the puja in salutation to the nine days of Navratri. The set up was breathtakingly beautiful, with no detail spared to recreate the grandeur of the event.
RESEDA, CA - The Valley Hindu Temple on April 6 conducted the inaugural ceremony to celebrate Shrimad Devi Bhagawad Katha. Around 400 families performed the puja in salutation to the nine days of Navratri. The set up was breathtakingly beautiful, with no detail spared to recreate the grandeur of the event.
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Around 180 volunteers worked tirelessly starting as far back as March 31 to convert the temple’s parking lot into a venue for the puja. Big screen televisions streamed the mantras and directions given by the master of religious ceremonies: Shastri Prakashbhai Pandya. The festivities will continue over nine days-from April 6 to 14 starting at 6 pm daily. It was a religious event however, the socio-cultural element so critical to the growth and sustenance of the community was highlighted by Senator Henry Stern who serves the greater San Fernando Valley which is part of the Senate District 27. “It is overwhelming to be here. I feel rich to be in Reseda as a part of our community. This is the wealth of the valley; you are breathing life that comes from a place we often don’t see; we live on our phones, on freeways and homes that are behind gates but, when the community thrives in places like this Hindu temple we reconnect not just with our culture and heritage but something deeper that we call ‘home’. Many here radiate love and it grows beyond this temple, it goes deeper - to our LA River, our schools and our parks that make our neighborhoods green and abundant like the harvest we harken to. It truly is an honor to serve and I want you to know that I have an open door. We need your help to make LA a safe place: with issues like homelessness that make us nervous to walk on our streets, poverty and challenges that small businesses face. But, mostly the challenges of our spirit. As Americans we are being challenged to say what kind of people are we and I do not mean what party you belong to. But, what is the truth of your heart and you have my heart for as long as I can serve,” he said.
Senator Stern’s address to the community present was welcomed with great enthusiasm and the theme of community, safety and country continued in the address by Scott Abrams, the District Director from Congressman Brad Sherman’s office. “I was told that this is the first time you are doing this festival and wow you have outdone yourself! This is just about the most beautiful of festivals that I have seen in all these years. I hope that the prayers you are offering are answered because I know they are not just personal prayers they are for the welfare of our country, our community, our brothers and sisters and if we lift it up to heaven we all share in the bounty that you have offered our community where we play together, live together and worship together. This is the valley I know. Congressman Brad Sherman requests the special honor of accepting a flag that flies over the capital in Washington DC; when he knew I am coming we got this from the architect of the Capital and I am proud to present this to your temple in honor of this festival,” he said. The Valley Hindu Temple serves the Indian-American community of Hindus for the San Fernando Valley and has become a cultural and architectural marvel; its ethnic beauty was enhanced for this festival with a horse chariot followed by ladies carrying decorated kalash on their heads and dancing to the tune of scriptures. This was followed by the ‘tilak’ ceremony where foreheads of devotees were decorated with the customary red tilak. A floral wagon, traditional tents for water, preethi bhog and dholak band completed the stunning visuals. The Master of Ceremonies, Dr. Suman Prabhakar introduced the President of the temple community Bal Sharad as well as the Vice President Dr.Kadam Shodhan. The inaugural lamp lighting and invocation speech was delivered by Shastri Bharatbhai. The Seva Committee headed by Ashish Khamkar, Raj Iyer, Milan Swami and Sanjay Rajguru put in endless hours of work to put together this event while the media and dignitary coordination was conducted by Sunil Agrawal and Johnny.
Senator Stern’s address to the community present was welcomed with great enthusiasm and the theme of community, safety and country continued in the address by Scott Abrams, the District Director from Congressman Brad Sherman’s office. “I was told that this is the first time you are doing this festival and wow you have outdone yourself! This is just about the most beautiful of festivals that I have seen in all these years. I hope that the prayers you are offering are answered because I know they are not just personal prayers they are for the welfare of our country, our community, our brothers and sisters and if we lift it up to heaven we all share in the bounty that you have offered our community where we play together, live together and worship together. This is the valley I know. Congressman Brad Sherman requests the special honor of accepting a flag that flies over the capital in Washington DC; when he knew I am coming we got this from the architect of the Capital and I am proud to present this to your temple in honor of this festival,” he said. The Valley Hindu Temple serves the Indian-American community of Hindus for the San Fernando Valley and has become a cultural and architectural marvel; its ethnic beauty was enhanced for this festival with a horse chariot followed by ladies carrying decorated kalash on their heads and dancing to the tune of scriptures. This was followed by the ‘tilak’ ceremony where foreheads of devotees were decorated with the customary red tilak. A floral wagon, traditional tents for water, preethi bhog and dholak band completed the stunning visuals. The Master of Ceremonies, Dr. Suman Prabhakar introduced the President of the temple community Bal Sharad as well as the Vice President Dr.Kadam Shodhan. The inaugural lamp lighting and invocation speech was delivered by Shastri Bharatbhai. The Seva Committee headed by Ashish Khamkar, Raj Iyer, Milan Swami and Sanjay Rajguru put in endless hours of work to put together this event while the media and dignitary coordination was conducted by Sunil Agrawal and Johnny.
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