CHICAGO: An impressive Vijay Dashmi (Dussehra) along with Navaratri was celebrated with huge pomp and gaiety by over 2500 devotees of Lake and Cook Counties on Saturday, October 4 at the Grayslake Temple.
This ten-day festival started with Navaratri Devi Kalash Sthapan on September 24 with all the Vaidic rituals by Pt.
Anil Joshi. Devotees brought their family Kalash to take the blessings of Ma Durga. Every day Devi Pujan and Durga Sapsati Path were performed by Pt. Ganesh along with number of devotees followed by Raas Garba every evening.
Different devotees sponsored Garba and Dandiya event and distributed Prasad as deity’s blessing to more than 400 attendees who showed their devotion to Goddess by dancing to the melodious tunes of live singing by Rita Patel and Atul Soni and DJ by Mehul Rami and Mike Patel. Mrs Vasu Choksi emceed the event gracefully.
Bipin Patel, Navinder Manna and team organized the event and regulated the crowds. Mata Ki Chowki and Jagran were organized as a part of Navaratri celebrations during which Anu Gupta and others sang Bhajans.
On Ashtami day, October 2, a special Alankaram for Ma Durga as ‘Vana Devi’ was prepared. A wonderful attraction of the festival was an elegantly prepared peacock feather saree for Ma Durga. Pt. Joshi prayed for and blessed all the devotees for prosperity, progress, and good health. Kanya Pujan was also organized in the temple to obtain Ma Durga’s blessings in Kanya Rupa.
On Vijay Dashmi day, October 4, a whole day Mela was organized by the temple with different food stalls, many jewelry, toys, and cloth stores. In the evening, more than 75 young children with great enthusiasm performed Ramleela stage show for the audience. This show was put together with the help of Anu Gupta and Naveen Mishra to support children to understand our cultural heritage and inculcate good virtues and qualities from different characters of our epics.
In the night, at 8:30 pm, came an exciting Demon King Ravan Dahan event. Lord Ram, Laxman and Hanuman deities came in the procession with beating of drums, bells, and Jagati to the field where twenty feet tall and ten headed Ravan cut-out was prepared and installed by Raj Potdar, and Madhup Dhoan. Devotees were chanting in chorus “Jai Shree Ram.”
Pt. Anil Joshi lighted fire to the effigy of King Ravan after performing a Puja. Devotees witnessed King Ravan crackling in fiery splendor marking the triumph of good over evil. At the end Pt. Joshi blessed everyone on the occasion and President Harsh Kumar thanked all the devotees for their enthusiasm and volunteers for the time they had given in making this event a grand success.
Geetha Patil
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