CHICAGO: Bright lights, fireworks, colors, and delicacies – these words conjure up in our mind nothing but a huge celebration of Diwali – the festival of lights that means ending of darkness and lighting up of a new era.
This year’s Diwali festival was celebrated with great devotion at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Bartlett, a northwest suburb of Chicago. On November 13 devotees gathered at the Mandir with family and friends to participate in the Chopda Pujan, a special ceremony for business owners to receive.
Goddess Laxmi blessings for the upcoming New Year. Through chanting Vedic hymns and prayers, hundreds of ledgers were blessed during the ceremony.
On November 14, hundreds of devotees gathered early in the morning to offer prayers on the first day of the New Year. All, or rather most of them, dressed in traditional attire, greeted each other and wished for a happy and prosperous New Year. The Mandir was packed for the first arti, a Hindu ritual of waving lighted wicks before the murti of Bhagwan as an act of spiritual enlightenment, which took place at 7 am. Throughout the day, visitors poured in to the hourly services to see the beautifully arranged lights as well as rangolis, unique floor designs made with colored sand.
One of the unique aspects of celebrating the New Year is offering a feast of food items called Annakut, literally meaning “a mountain of food”. The devotees of the Mandir worked tirelessly for many weeks to prepare this colorful array of vegetarian food items to be offered to Bhagwan. This created a sense of togetherness amongst all who were involved. Despite residing in India, His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj continually inspires devotees all over the world to celebrate their Hindu heritage and customs. These festivals allow for families to meet and celebrate the Hindu festivals and pass on traditions to future generations.
The BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS), a worldwide socio-spiritual organization in Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations, is dedicated to community service, peace and harmony. Through a number of social and spiritual activities, BAPS endeavors to produce better citizens of tomorrow. Its 3,300 international centers under the guidance and leadership of His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj, BAPS aspires to build a community that is morally, ethically and spiritually pure, and free of addictions.
His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj is the fifth spiritual successor of Bhagwan Swaminarayan.
Sandip Patel
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