ST. LOUIS: The Hindu Temple of St. Louis celebrated Sri Ayyappa Mandala Festival with fervor and devotion on December 25. This was the ninth consecutive year that the Temple was celebrating the Mandala pooja and the function was attended by close to 1500 devotees including both the morning and evening sessions.
Mandala Kalam denotes 41 days that started on November 16 and ended with the festival on December 25.This grand function was the culmination of a 41 day Mandala period.
The stage for the function was constructed in the shape of a golden chariot with Ayyappa seated on top of the chariot. The stage was set up in such a way that Lord Ayyappa was on top of the eighteen holy steps with the eighteen steps docking against the chariot with Lord Ganesha on the right and Lord Muruga on the left.
There were quite a few devotees including kids as young as three and men who had taken deeksha for 41 days and prepared the Irumudi under the guidance of the Guru Swami. Carrying the Irumdis on their heads, all 43 swamis took a procession around the outer boundary of temple three times singing the praise of Lord Ayyappa. During the third and last round, the Swamis broke one coconut at the place where the Ayyappa Sannidhanam is taking shape and is due to be inaugurated in July 2013.
The Irumudi was then offered to Lord Ayyappa and Abhisekham was conducted. The nei or ghee Abhisekham is considered especially auspicious for Lord Ayyappa. The highlight of the morning function was the singing of Bhajans by more than 30 kids with kids as young as three singing with utmost devotion. This was followed by the padi pooja and the Raja Alankaram for Lord Ayyappa at the end of the Abhisekham.
The evening function started with the singing of Bhajans and included the Seeveli (Light Festival) and Ayyappa Urchava Murthi Procession around the inner praharam of the temple. Ladies carry the lamp behind the Urchava Murthi of Lord Ayyappa around the temple and this has become a very popular event over the past few years. The devotees were addressed by Dr.Sharad Parikh, Chairman of the Board of Trustees.
It was announced that the North South expansion of the temple would be ready to be inaugurated with the Pranaprathistha function in July 2013. This upcoming expansion is going to include the Ayyappa Mahasannidhanam with eighteen steps. It will only be the second such temple in the United States and everyone in the Midwest is looking forward to July 2013.
Ashwin Patel
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