Festivals

A report from sishya Rajen Manick:

Here in Mauritius it is the Ganesha Chaturthi fever in the Hindu community of all denominations, usually done in the home and at public beaches for Visarjana immersion.

For many years now, days before the official Ganesha Chaturthi puja, the Saiva Siddhanta Church Mauritius Mission has organized a very special annual Ganesha ceremony for primary, secondary and university students preparing to sit for their end-of-year national and international examinations. This year, as in previous years, the ceremony drew a large flow of devotees, with hundreds of young people attending, accompanied by their supportive parents who travelled from different parts of the island to the Spiritual Park. The large mandapams were filled to capacity as everyone participated in an elaborate homa performed by Sivacharya Devakumar, Sivacharya Kannen Venkatakrishen Kaylassom and Sivacharya  Mootoo. Powerful Vedic mantras, devoutly chanted during the ceremony and carried throughout the property by loudspeakers, created a deeply sacred and uplifting atmosphere.

Following the recitation of a blessing message from Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami several announcements were made for the benefit of the youth. They were encouraged to read Satguru’s book Path to Siva and were also given information on how to enrol in the forthcoming online Saivite courses to be conducted by the local Himalayan Academy catalysts.

At the conclusion of the ceremony, each young participant received a special pouch containing writing materials, vibhuthi and a printed flyer providing information about Lord Ganesha and the Spiritual Park founded by Gurudeva. In this way, everyone returned home not only with Lord Ganesha’s blessings for their forthcoming examinations, but also with a meaningful spiritual souvenir and a simple teaching to carry with them beyond this special day.