Dear Saranya Family Member,
Pavitrotsavams of Lord Sri Kalyana Venkateswara Swamy in Kakinada Asramam were celebrated last month in a grand scale. Sri Sudarsana Homam, Recitation of Scriptures, Pujas, Prasadam distribution, Lord's processions were really marvellous. An estimated 50,000 devotees have taken darsan of the Lord and took divya prasadam in all the 5 days together. The devotee rush was so much that even 'Laghu Darsanam' had to be enforced in the final days just like in Tirumala Hills. Services of Volunteers, Organizers, Vedic Students, Priests and Scholars are highly commendable. Please take time to read at leisure and enjoy all the pictures one by one.
You can see the pictures of
1st and 2nd days' pictures at this
link. Lord's glory, devotion of the people and Sacredness of the function can be felt even in the photos.
On the
third day, the Sacred Pavitrams were offered to Lord, Deities, Structures of the temple, Priests and Scholars. Pictures are
here
Fourth Day is a very special day being Sri Swamiji's Birth Day (Tirunakshatram). Besides regular pavitrotsava pujas, everyone from Asramam institutions had tirtham given by Sri Swamiji personally.
Unbelievably, at the request of devotees, Sri Swamiji kindly agreed to be weighed on a Tulabharam.
Normally Devotees weigh their loved ones with materials or money and offer those to Lord Sri Venkateswara. It is a very popular service in the Temple. The devotees came prepared to weigh Sri Swamiji in Rupee coins. They exhausted all their supply and still the weighing scale did not tilt. They offered Clothes to Lord, but still the balance was in favor of Sri Swamiji only. Finally when they prayed Lord and offered fruits, then the pans became equal and everyone was elated.
Sri Swamiji also inaugurated Vanaprastha Asramam (a Home for the Retired, to spend rest of their life in the service of Lord) which is being constructed in the adjacent site. Two families started living there from today.
Sri Swamiji also inaugurated a book written on Sri Yamunacharya's Stotraratnam by Smt Tiruvengalamma garu.
Enjoy all the pictures of 4th day morning session
here.
On 4th day evening, Sacred Tirtham from the Divine kalasa of Yagasala was brought to the Temple.
Lord, Deities and all divine places were sanctified by sprinkling the tirtham. Usual evening procession took place thereafter. Pictures of 4th day evening are
here.
On 5th and final day abhishekam was conducted to Lord Sri
Srinivasa, Mother
Lakshmi Devi and Mother Goda devi in a grand scale. This service normally not open for public, was available this day for everyone to have divya darsanam during Abhishekam. We are so lucky that we even get a close up view from
here.
Sri Swamiji also announced His wish to gradually withdraw from the day-to-day administrative aspects of the Temple, Trusts and other institutions. Respective boards and committees will be fully responsible for their functioning and His Holiness will always be available for guidance. His Holiness now can spend more time on our spiritual development rather than in the mundane worldly matters. Sri Swamiji had been relentlessly working every hour and minute for the last 15 years to establish such wonderful institutions and it is our duty to uphold and maintain the high standards of the valuable treasure.
Please keep using this email forum to share your thoughts, get your questions answered and interact with Sri Swamiji.
Let us get to know news about three more events coming up in our next posting.
Best Regards,
Murali Ramanuja Dasa.
