Court Hill's Big Surprise

Off the visiting swamis went to a marvelous temple famed for being in an area with lots of judges and lawyers who would go to Ganesha's shrine before their cases to get blessings and guidance.

One of the remarkable thing here is they do 108 or 1008 conch abhishekam everyday! Morning and afternoon! On this day it was 1008. They say there is a siddhar interred beneath a bilva tree trunk that sits right in the temple chamber (it was there before the temple was built and they did not want to remove it, though it is no longer living).

We had been told to expect a small surprise, but it turned out to not be small at all, as you will see in the slide show.

We arrived to see Lord Ganesha beautifully. Look at that yellow garland! Wow!

We have never seen such a garland. Imagine the hours it took to make.

Many offerings at this busy temple, right on the roadside in a busy part of town.

Then came the surprise. The yellow garland was joined by an even larger red one! Tillainathaswami, Bala Sivaceyon and Valuvan carry it around the bilva tree toward the shrine.

It is heavy enough that the three strong men had to use both hands.

Photos of the 1008 conches.

The priests take charge

Jai Ganesha.

Turns out this was the surprise, two massive garlands engineered by the members to greet and delight the swamis from Hawaii.

With the members and temple pujaris.

Close up of the flowers on the garlands.

So unusual....

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