BY A STAFF REPORTER
DOWNEY,CA - Shree Swaminarayan Satsang Mandal of California temple here celebrated its 19th Patotsav (Anniversary). The celebration began in the evening on April 19 with the Pothi Yatra, with hundreds of devotees circumambulating the temple with the holy book (pothi) which was ceremoniously placed inside the temple...
DOWNEY,CA - Shree Swaminarayan Satsang Mandal of California temple here celebrated its 19th Patotsav (Anniversary). The celebration began in the evening on April 19 with the Pothi Yatra, with hundreds of devotees circumambulating the temple with the holy book (pothi) which was ceremoniously placed inside the temple...
in the presence of deities. Shastri Swami Devprakashdasji gave discourses for three days from April 19 to 21, inspiring Hanuman Charitra Katha.
On April 27 the program began at 8 am with a Hari Yag Yagna, a ceremony for the prosperity of one and all, peace of mind and for love and harmony in the world. This was followed by a Maruti Yagna. At the end of it a Jal Yatra was performed by ladies who had brought water collected from several sacred rivers in India which was to be used for the Maha Abhishek of the temple idols.
On April 28, the culmination of the celebrations, the main hall of the temple filled up very soon as the Maha Abhishek began early in the morning. Priests washed the idols in the temple using several different holy ingredients. Participating in it was also Shri Naresh Prasad Pande, representing his elder brother His Holiness 1008 Acharya Maharaj Rakeshprasadji along with residential saints, Balkrushna Swami and saints from Chharodi Gurukul, Amdavad, India. All rituals were performed by priest Nayanbhai Shukla. The curtains were drawn soon after the , so that the deities could be decorated and the several steps of fruits and delicacies prepared the by hundreds of worshippers could be set up for display in front of the idols for the Annakut Darsha.
Bhajans were performed and verses were chanted and finally the moment arrived when the curtains were drawn and the packed hall went up in cheer on witnessing the astonishingly beautiful Annakut Darshan of the splendidly attired idols and the tasteful and colorful display of food. The event ended with the serving of Mahaprasad to hundreds of devotees who had attended the more than weeklong festivities.
On April 27 the program began at 8 am with a Hari Yag Yagna, a ceremony for the prosperity of one and all, peace of mind and for love and harmony in the world. This was followed by a Maruti Yagna. At the end of it a Jal Yatra was performed by ladies who had brought water collected from several sacred rivers in India which was to be used for the Maha Abhishek of the temple idols.
On April 28, the culmination of the celebrations, the main hall of the temple filled up very soon as the Maha Abhishek began early in the morning. Priests washed the idols in the temple using several different holy ingredients. Participating in it was also Shri Naresh Prasad Pande, representing his elder brother His Holiness 1008 Acharya Maharaj Rakeshprasadji along with residential saints, Balkrushna Swami and saints from Chharodi Gurukul, Amdavad, India. All rituals were performed by priest Nayanbhai Shukla. The curtains were drawn soon after the , so that the deities could be decorated and the several steps of fruits and delicacies prepared the by hundreds of worshippers could be set up for display in front of the idols for the Annakut Darsha.
Bhajans were performed and verses were chanted and finally the moment arrived when the curtains were drawn and the packed hall went up in cheer on witnessing the astonishingly beautiful Annakut Darshan of the splendidly attired idols and the tasteful and colorful display of food. The event ended with the serving of Mahaprasad to hundreds of devotees who had attended the more than weeklong festivities.