VEDIC TEMPLE ANNIVERSARY
AND KUMBHA MELA CELEBRATIONS
Los Angeles, Nov. 11, 2008
By Dilip Butani
Nearly 1,500 visitors attended the third USA Kumbha Mela 2008
and one-year anniversary celebration of the Vedic Temple in Montclair,
California. It was an amazing day that brought together diverse
people and cultures in blissful celebration. The Montclair City
Council offered a message of congratulations and expressed enthusiasm
about future partnerships between the two organizations in the
upcoming year.
The morning began with Maha-Abishekam. It was awe-inspiring to
watch Swamis and temple priests of the Nithyananda Order from
around the world simultaneously perform the bathing ritual for
the major deities of the temple. Each of the nearly one hundred
fifty deities received abishekam. It was an overwhelming sight
to view the grandeur of the moorties revealed in full Alankar
and flower decorations lovingly prepared by temple volunteers.
Ma Maneesha, Yoga Mahacharya from India, with over 30 years experience
teaching Yoga, spoke on the deeper truths of Yoga. Based upon
the teachings of Patanjali, Nithya Yoga teaches us to set an intention
of blissfully moving through all the activities of one’s
day. In another session, she presented a wonderful talk on the
finer points and practical tips of Ayurvedic living and Sattvic
cooking that promote healthy living.
‘Temples - Bridging the Generations’ was the topic
for a lively panel discussion with Mr. Martyn Williams, Sri Nithya
Medhananda Swami, Ma Maneesha, and Ananda Samaji volunteer, Hiten
Dalal. The Vedic Temple is a profound energy field that causes
immediate and obvious positive effects on people’s energies.
Using the inner science of transformation, the rituals beautifully
integrate us by relaxing the mind and elevating our consciousness
in bliss. This profound truth was clearly demonstrated throughout
the day with the many temple rituals.
Temple pujacharya, Bhaktapriyananda Maharaj also discussed the
significance and benefit of spending time in the energy field
of the temple and answered questions from the audience.
Representatives from the Nithyananda Vedic Temples of North America
participated in the third annual grand USA Kumbha Mela 2008 events
to promote world peace. They brought deities from their Vedic
Temples in Oklahoma, Vancouver, Seattle, San Jose, and Ohio to
join the Montclair temple deities in joyous procession around
the temple grounds. Aikyananda Maharaj conducted the immersion
of deities into the water of twenty-one holy rivers of India and
blessed the gathering with sprinkling from the energized waters.
Ganga Arathi followed the Kumbha Mela 2008. This is an offering
of light to Mother Ganga, Lord Shiva, who holds Her in His divine
head and to all the other deities gathered in the Ananda Sabha
hall for the events.
The pinnacle of the anniversary celebration was Maha Arathi conducted
by three Nithyananda priests. The temple was packed with visitors
and charged with intense healing energy. Everyone commented on
how beautiful it was be included in such a visually and spiritually
uplifting event.
Throughout the weekend guests enjoyed several professional cultural
performances by Nithyananda volunteers. Palomi Pundit presented
Bharat Natyam Dance, Babu Parameshwaran’s School offered
vocals, as did Ma Sreemati. Children performed Kathak Dance and
John Villalobos shared guitar performance. Maha Prasad was available
to over fifteen hundred people who visited throughout the day.
The local area Blood Bank was very pleased with the turnout of
blood donors from the Nithyananda community. Attendees really
enjoyed the booths with Vedic Astrology, Nithyananda Sacred Arts,
Ayurvedic Consultations and beautiful henna tattoos.
A major highlight of the festivities was the video recorded message
from the founder of the Vedic Temple, Paramahamsa Nithyananda
from Bidadi Ashram in Bangalore, India.
He discussed the spiritual significance of Kumbha Mela and how
it generates positive peaceful energy and raises the global collective
consciousness towards peace.
During his comments, Swamiji expressed his appreciation to the
all-volunteer team of Ashramites, Ananda Samajis, Ananda Sevaks
and Devotees involved in the Vedic Temple.
Swamiji discussed some of the major accomplishments in this first
year, including over 40,000 visitors to the temple, training of
fifty pujacharyas in the rituals of the Vedic tradition, Life
Bliss Teacher’s Trainings, meals for over 100,000 people,
health camps and the numerous classes in meditation and life solutions
presented to schools, community organizations and individuals
community wide.
The volunteers’ presence added a special quality to the
activities and they are sure to add a wonderful dimension the
fun and festivities that the next year will bring. There are many
large and small ways to serve and grow within the Vedic Temple
community.
The Vedic Temple is an inner science laboratory charged with
amazing spiritual energy, helping people live creative, successful
and blissful lives. It is a gift from the divine vision of Paramahamsa
Nithyananda.
