RIVERSIDE, CA: One of the favorite annual events for Riverside’s Shri Lakshmi Narayan Mandir is Ganesh Chaturthi, the birthday of Ganesh. Some devotees even braved the fires around the Big Bear area to attend this important yearly function. Perhaps because the event began earlier than most, early attendance was low.
But the Mandir soon filled to capacity with an estimate of 600 present. This year Ganesh’s birthday actually occurred on Saturday and a special children’s puja was held in the Mandir on that day.
The main program began on Sunday at 10:30 am. During the program, major sponsors took turns in family groups to make offerings to Ganesh while Mandir priests, Dr. Shukavak Dasa, Pt Seshacharyulu Samudrala and Pt. Vipul Jani gave instructions to the participants, sang slokas, and chanted the divine names of Ganesh. During Upachara puja sponsors took turns making offerings of dry items, including flower petals, incense, haldi, kumkum, rice and diyas.
Brass kalasham were filled with milk, yogurt, buttermilk, ghee, honey, and assorted fruit juices. Each sponsor family poured these offerings for abhishekam, giving Ganesh a full bath.
Afterwards everyone in the Mandir was invited to come forward and participate. Volunteers in the background hurriedly filled the brass kalasham and passed them to the many devotees waiting in a line that stretched the length of the Mandir.
People of all ages, from babies and toddlers to seniors with canes and walkers, offered their devotion to Ganesh. It was a wonderful sight to see the very young children pour their offerings. The very old, not wanting to be left out, did not allow any health issues to interfere with their devotion.
The final kalasham were filled with water to cleanse and Ganesh was removed for alankaram, dressing after the bath. During this interim Amit Anand sang Ganesh bhajans, enthusiastically joined by all of the devotees who had been given a copy of the lyrics.
Behind the scenes a procession was being formed to return Lord Ganesh to the altar. Head Priest Pt. Shukavak Dasa led the parade by beating a gong. Bachu Chandravadia and Bobby Kaura blew conches to announce the arrival of Ganesh. Children were recruited to carry the multi-colored pennants and to toss flower petals. Finally the newly-dressed Ganesh arrived, carried high on the shoulders of Mandir officials, sponsors, and devotees.
The music of Amit Anand grew louder and faster. Shouts of “Ganapati Bappa Moraya” became louder and signs of increase in devotion could be seen everywhere. Once Ganesh was returned to His seat, each sponsor performed patra puja, the offering of 21 types of leaves.
As Pt. Shukavak Dasa held up a bowl of leaves he asked everyone present to “touch them with your mind” and then offered the contents. In this way everyone present could participate. During announcements President Ramesh Upadhyayula stated that Ganesh Chaturthi is a 14-year old Mandir tradition begun by Raj and Meena Sindher. He thanked the Sindher family for being the program’s organizer, supporter, host and fundraiser.
The program concluded when 2 aratis were performed, one for Ganesh and the second offered before LakshmiNarayan. Maha Prasad followed and everyone enjoyed a delicious lunch and agreed this was the best Ganesh Chaturthi program ever.
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