Geetha Patel
CHICAGO: Fifteen years ago, the community leaders of Lake County built an elegant temple in the cornfield that is attracting hundreds of devotees from the Greater Chicago land. Since then, the Hindu Mandir has become a religious, social and cultural center for the counties’ Hindus, as well as a popular destination for student groups, tourists and Chicagoans.
The beautiful building houses 18 deities, adorned in brightly colored clothing and reflect regional traditions across India. Deities represent all parts of India, so that people can pray to the same deities they grew up with back home.
A two-day celebration to mark the temple’s 15th anniversary or Patotsav that is a re-consecration ceremony and the re-invoking Paramatma was organized on Saturday June 26 and Sunday 27th of Jun, 2021. Temple Priest Pandit Anil Joshi said that although temple is performing all the weekly and monthly programs and is open to the general public for Darshan, keeping in mind the Corona regulations, he invited limited number of devotees to participate in the 21 Kalash Stapan and Havan Pujan for all the deities of the temple.
Devotees participated with same enthusiasm in all the Vedic rituals and chanting of Vedic Mantras. The program was started with worshiping Lord Ganesh, the Kalashas were later lifted on the shoulders and carried in a procession around the shrine and placed in front of each deity. Pt. Joshi performed Abhishekam of all the Utsav Murties/the Idols of deities. Devotees stood in front of the Murties, chanted Vedic Mantras and offered flower petals, and a breeze from the fans as mentioned in ancient tradition.
Raj Gopalan and Rakesh Raman led the chanting of Vedic Mantras. Home-made Nevedyam were offered to all the deities after the Maha Mangal Arati. Later Nevedyam were distributed to all the devotees as Prasadam
Pt Joshi in his discourse said that the celebration of temple anniversaries/Patotsavs are necessary for revitalization of divine energy/Pran Shakti and offering of prayers for the welfare and relief of mankind from Corona Pandemic . He also stressed the fact, ‘do no harm — not just the living beings, but also the environment.’ He blessed all the devotees and all their family members for their health, happiness and success in life.
Manoja Adheekari thanked all the devotees and the priest for their active participation and making the event a memorable.
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