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Showing posts from December 24, 2012


Akanda Deepa Vrata

Akanda Deepa Vrata is performed for prosperity by devotees. The main ritual involves keeping a diya (deepa or traditional lamp) lit for an entire Hindu lunar month. The Vrat begins on the first day of a Hindu lunar month – the day after Purnima in calendars followed in North India . In other regions, it is the day after Amavasya. The Akhanda Deepa is lighted on the first day. The lamp is either made of bronze or brass. The medium used to burn the lamp is cow ghee. A single diya is lit. Once lit the devotee keeps the lamp burning till the end of month (first day after Purnima to Purnima or first day after Amavas to Amavas). Each day pujas and offerings are made to the lamp. The puja involves meditation, offering simple flowers and a single fruit. On the last day of the puja, lamps are lit around the house. A puja involving family members, relatives, friends and neighbors are held. Any sweet dish is prepared and distributed as Prasad after offering to the diya. It i

New Big Hanuman Murti (Idol) at Mysore - Karya Siddhi Hanuman in Mysore

Ganapathi Sachchidananda Ashrama in Mysore is preparing to consecrate a big murti of Hanuman – Karya Siddhi Hanuman idol – in Mysore . The Hanuman murti is 42 feet tall and is place on a 30 feet pedestal. The pedestal stands on Karyasiddhi Hanuman Sannidhi ( Temple ). The murti is chiseled out from a 200-tonne Grey Granite Rock. The reason for making the Hanuman Murti: Sri Ganapathy Sashichidananda Swami, the ashram chief, said - People who have faith in Hindu scriptures believe that their wishes will be fulfilled with the darshan of Hanuman. This urge of devotees made me do this. Some details about the Murti: It took 10 months for 18 sculptors to carve the murti. Subramanya Achar from Kurnool , Andhra Pradesh, headed the work. The murti is installed on a 30-feet high pedestal. The pedestal itself is on an octagonal temple. A 5-feet tall saffron Hanuman murti has also been erected to facilitate puja.