Even the priests don't change out the small wicks each time.
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- Thread starter Maya3
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That’s what I’m going to use them for. They seem to be easier to handle for a multi-diya lamp.
Aupmanyav
Be your own guru
They should, Vinayaka. My wife washes all implements before re-use, just as we clean the idols and picture frames. Is that some Sri Lanka / Tamil / North India difference?
Some of these lamps are used 5 or more times a day, and the priests are busy busy busy ... so perhaps it is just a matter of time, and they have to prioritize their time.
Aupmanyav
Be your own guru
The women celebrated Karwa Chauth yesterday. Important in North India.
"Karwa Chauth will be celebrated tomorrow, that is on 27th October, 2018. It is a festival, which is significant to Hindu married women. A sargi is a pre-dawn meal that is prepared by mothers-in-law in order to bless their daughters-in-law for a happy and blissful marriage. As per the rituals, the mother-in-law presents her daughter-in-law a thali of sweets, savouries, dry fruits, coconut, matthri and gifts like sarees, jewellery and others."
The inset is the story that they read.
"Karva Chauth 2018" - Google Search
"Karwa Chauth will be celebrated tomorrow, that is on 27th October, 2018. It is a festival, which is significant to Hindu married women. A sargi is a pre-dawn meal that is prepared by mothers-in-law in order to bless their daughters-in-law for a happy and blissful marriage. As per the rituals, the mother-in-law presents her daughter-in-law a thali of sweets, savouries, dry fruits, coconut, matthri and gifts like sarees, jewellery and others."
"Karva Chauth 2018" - Google Search
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Interesting evening. I was iffy about going to temple tonight, being rather tired but I went. I wasn’t sure I’d get there alive, what with people running red lights and stop signs in front of me, making me slam on my brakes.
It turns out tonight was a Sri Subramanya vahana seva. Thursday is also Satyanarayana Swami abhishekam. I was glad I went. I was one of just two or three people at the abhishekam. The priest sprinkled us with a flower dipped in water then walked towards the sanctum. He turned around with an “oh what the heck” look and sprinkled me again... twice. Maybe he thought I needed all the blessings I could get.
Anyway, I was standing by “my” pillar when an elderly man comes up to me and says “can I ask you a question?” I said of course. He asks me “are you from Madras?” Kind of took me by surprise. I have no idea why he thought I’m even Indian, given how white I am. I said no, I was born in the US, I’m not Indian, I’m Italian-American.
His eyes opened like a little kid on Christmas morning and said “you come here to worship?” I said yes, pretty often. He said “how do Italians know about this!?” as he kind of swept his arms around, and asked how I came to be Hindu. I told him I was interested in Hinduism since I was a kid and always believed in God this way (my turn to sweep my arms around). He was so genuinely amazed and sincere. I told him there are a lot of us.
It gets even cuter when he motions to another man to come closer. He said he wanted his son-in-law to meet me. He said to his son-in-law “this man is Italian!” He was so blown away at the idea of an Italian-American Hindu it was almost like he met his first Martian.
It turns out tonight was a Sri Subramanya vahana seva. Thursday is also Satyanarayana Swami abhishekam. I was glad I went. I was one of just two or three people at the abhishekam. The priest sprinkled us with a flower dipped in water then walked towards the sanctum. He turned around with an “oh what the heck” look and sprinkled me again... twice. Maybe he thought I needed all the blessings I could get.
Anyway, I was standing by “my” pillar when an elderly man comes up to me and says “can I ask you a question?” I said of course. He asks me “are you from Madras?” Kind of took me by surprise. I have no idea why he thought I’m even Indian, given how white I am. I said no, I was born in the US, I’m not Indian, I’m Italian-American.
His eyes opened like a little kid on Christmas morning and said “you come here to worship?” I said yes, pretty often. He said “how do Italians know about this!?” as he kind of swept his arms around, and asked how I came to be Hindu. I told him I was interested in Hinduism since I was a kid and always believed in God this way (my turn to sweep my arms around). He was so genuinely amazed and sincere. I told him there are a lot of us.
It gets even cuter when he motions to another man to come closer. He said he wanted his son-in-law to meet me. He said to his son-in-law “this man is Italian!” He was so blown away at the idea of an Italian-American Hindu it was almost like he met his first Martian.
Aupmanyav
Be your own guru
Ha ha, "First Martian"... it was almost like he met his first Martian.
Yes, I think there are more fatty people in Chennai than in North India, or perhaps it is my regional prejudice.
Interesting evening. I was iffy about going to temple tonight, being rather tired but I went. I wasn’t sure I’d get there alive, what with people running red lights and stop signs in front of me, making me slam on my brakes.
It turns out tonight was a Sri Subramanya vahana seva. Thursday is also Satyanarayana Swami abhishekam. I was glad I went. I was one of just two or three people at the abhishekam. The priest sprinkled us with a flower dipped in water then walked towards the sanctum. He turned around with an “oh what the heck” look and sprinkled me again... twice. Maybe he thought I needed all the blessings I could get.
Anyway, I was standing by “my” pillar when an elderly man comes up to me and says “can I ask you a question?” I said of course. He asks me “are you from Madras?” Kind of took me by surprise. I have no idea why he thought I’m even Indian, given how white I am. I said no, I was born in the US, I’m not Indian, I’m Italian-American.
His eyes opened like a little kid on Christmas morning and said “you come here to worship?” I said yes, pretty often. He said “how do Italians know about this!?” as he kind of swept his arms around, and asked how I came to be Hindu. I told him I was interested in Hinduism since I was a kid and always believed in God this way (my turn to sweep my arms around). He was so genuinely amazed and sincere. I told him there are a lot of us.
It gets even cuter when he motions to another man to come closer. He said he wanted his son-in-law to meet me. He said to his son-in-law “this man is Italian!” He was so blown away at the idea of an Italian-American Hindu it was almost like he met his first Martian.
Sounds new to America to me. Still, we are pretty rare. I no longer notice much, but when I think of it, I can only recall one white person on our recent trip, of about 25 temples. He was a priest at the Sri Vidya Math near Rochester, NY. Not one stare, that I can recall, either.
Ha ha, "First Martian".
Yes, I think there are more fatty people in Chennai than in North India, or perhaps it is my regional prejudice.
Ah, so it was my chubbiness! Then it was flattering to be thought of as Indian instead of "the chubby bearded white guy".
Aupmanyav
Be your own guru
Yesterday, we had our last festival of the month - 'Punn' (Purnam ?). That is a kind of Mahalakshmi puja and is celebrated by Kashmiris only. It has a usual 'katha' of a king and queen/princess in dire circumstances, worshiping Mahalakshmi with a sweetened wheat flour cake (Roth), which the Goddess turned into solid Gold. That helped the king to raise an army and win his domain back. The final request to Mahalakshmi is that you help turn out situation for the better just like you did when you helped the king and his family.
There is no particular date for the festival, which now is held on a Sunday for convenience (perhaps it was celebrated on a Thursday at one time). Only the elder branch of the family does it (so, it falls in my lot and not in my younger brothers lot). When the family expands, the elder in the branch family is asked to hold it on their own. For example, my uncle's elder son holds the festival for his branch of the family. At one time, my aunt was celebrating it for the whole family. It is celebrated any time during the Sharad (early winter) season, which is followed by Shishir (mid-winter). It includes a veg. lunch for family and close relatives and 'roths' are given to them as 'prasada' when they leave.
There is no particular date for the festival, which now is held on a Sunday for convenience (perhaps it was celebrated on a Thursday at one time). Only the elder branch of the family does it (so, it falls in my lot and not in my younger brothers lot). When the family expands, the elder in the branch family is asked to hold it on their own. For example, my uncle's elder son holds the festival for his branch of the family. At one time, my aunt was celebrating it for the whole family. It is celebrated any time during the Sharad (early winter) season, which is followed by Shishir (mid-winter). It includes a veg. lunch for family and close relatives and 'roths' are given to them as 'prasada' when they leave.
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Aupmanyav
Be your own guru
A few photographs of the three generation 'Bhaidooj' which we held this time. There were only three people from the first generation (Myself, my younger brother and a maternal brother) and only one person from the 'Zero' generation (i.e., my mother aged 96). All the rest of her generation are gone. There used to be more people in my generation but two are gone, one is not well, and another could not come from Jaipur where he presently stays. But there were more from second and third generation.
Second and Third generation and the crowd
My daughter on extreme left (tying the thread) and son on extreme right.
Son, daughter and others.
My mother (white hair) in the background. The two ladies in the foreground are our (Punjabi) daughters-in-laws (my brother's and mine).
Second and Third generation and the crowd
My daughter on extreme left (tying the thread) and son on extreme right.
Son, daughter and others.
My mother (white hair) in the background. The two ladies in the foreground are our (Punjabi) daughters-in-laws (my brother's and mine).
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Aupmanyav
Be your own guru
Amitabh (son) singing a song by his idol (Jagjit Singh).
Amitabh Reu
Amitabh Reu
I can't raise a tulsi plant for love or money. Another one just died suddenly. They grow beautifully in the summer, but when I bring them inside for the winter they eventually die. I've tried more water, less water, clay pots to breathe, plastic pots to stay moist, southern exposure, eastern exposure, grow lights after the sun passes in the morning. I've tried acclimating them to the indoors before it even gets cool by moving them in and out... out during the day, in at night for longer periods. I think I've had about 6 that have gotten to a nice size then suddenly failed. I don't think I'm going to try anymore.
Aupmanyav
Be your own guru
This year's "Kumbha" festival is reported to have ended with participation of some 240 million people (many of them may have visited the confluence of rivers Ganges and Yamuna more than once). This is equal to about 2/3 of the population of United States of America, and 1/3 of the population of Europe. This, therefore, was the biggest 'Kumbha" festival ever, and by far the biggest ever peaceful religious observance in the world. Very well managed, nothing untoward happened except for a few minor fires in community kitchens (thank Gods/chance for that). Important dates for this Kumbha were:
1 Makar Sankranti 15-01-2019/Tuesday
2 Paush Purnima 21-01-2019/Monday
3 Mauni Amavasya (Somvati) 04-02-2019/Monday
4 Basant Panchami 10-02-2019/Sunday
5 Maghi Purnima 19-02-2019/Tuesday
6 Mahashivratri 04-03-2019/Monday
1 Makar Sankranti 15-01-2019/Tuesday
2 Paush Purnima 21-01-2019/Monday
3 Mauni Amavasya (Somvati) 04-02-2019/Monday
4 Basant Panchami 10-02-2019/Sunday
5 Maghi Purnima 19-02-2019/Tuesday
6 Mahashivratri 04-03-2019/Monday
As much as I think I'd like to participate, that would trigger social anxiety in me on an unprecedented scale.
Have a great trip, Aup.