Our Virtual Ashram

[Aupmanyav]

Ganapati Visarjana: https://www.google.com/search?ei=DY...hUKEwi39Jfu78vkAhVEMI8KHWcDAiYQ4dUDCAs&uact=5
Images in the last 24 hours: Ganesha Visarjana 2019 live - Google Search

 

[Jainarayan]

My latest (yesterday) acquisition. I have no idea where I'm going to put them. I don't know about in the shrine, mainly because I don't have room. When we move I hope to have either a small puja room, or a bigger area I can use, more tables and/or shelves. I would love to have a separate shrine for them, as I would for other small statues I have. I like collecting them. I don't know if it's proper to have multiple small shrines in one home, though they'd be in the same room/area. Anyway, for now they are display objects. I think they're some type of resin with a bronze finish. Definitely not metal. They are about 8-9" tall, moderately heavy.

Ideas, suggestions?

 

[Aupmanyav]

You can put all the idols, images together (my wife perhaps has upward of 50 in her puja). Of course, your chosen deity will be in the middle. That is how we do it in India. Beautiful idols, BTW.

 

[Jainarayan]

You can put all the idols, images together (my wife perhaps has upward of 50 in her puja). Of course, your chosen deity will be in the middle. That is how we do it in India.

Ok good. Yes, I have a brass Krishna in the center. I've done abhishekam for it, and do puja and aarti (almost ) every morning.

I love the colors of the small resin ones. I'm thinking of eventually making it like a golu, but for every day, not just yearly. That's the idea, and why I want a separate room. I have a lot of pictures I've printed on photo paper and framed I'd like to put on the walls of a puja room.

I'd like to do something like this. I have almost that many statues, mostly packed for moving. I had them on other display tables in the house.

Beautiful idols, BTW.

Thanks. I fell in love with them when I saw them on the shelf. There is one of Vishnu seated with Adi-Shesha over him, standing Lakshmi (but I think I'd pair them only if both were seated or standing), a seated Shiva, and Sita but no Rama. I asked why there was no Rama but there were a couple of Sita statues. The employee said he'd ask his boss.

Talking about packing them away... something kind of odd happens. I have a small heavy brass murti of Ma Kali. I've kept her in the shrine, but since I don't pray to her that often, I decided to pack it away. But she won't stay packed. Every time I do that I find myself compelled to unwrap the statue and place it back on the shrine shelf. I think she's trying to tell me something.

 

[Vinayaka]

So our on Saturday the priest tells me that the weekly flower mala hasn't arrived, and he'd like one made. There are about 500 blooms on the large marigolds in the flower bed. (I have a rather nasty skin allergy to them ... made some about 10 days back with those restaurant gloves on, finger skin is peeling off now) Boss already picked a bunch for a friend, but we're not sure. A guy listening figures his wife could make one so I tell him to pick as many flowers as he wants. When I get home Boss says she'll do it, just in case. So Sunday morning He gets several garlands. That's the way she blows.

Looks like our first frost will be this weekend ... that will be the end of marigold season. I've never seen the plants so big ... so much rain earlier. I'll have to get a chainsaw to bring them down.

 

[Jainarayan]

They must be beautiful. I love marigolds. I’ve never seen marigold malas at temple, only chrysanthemums and miniature roses.

 

[Vinayaka]

They must be beautiful. I love marigolds. I’ve never seen marigold malas at temple, only chrysanthemums and miniature roses.

Very popular in North India, also very easy malas to make. (With the larger flowers) You need a big needle ( I made a couple from clothes hangers, and a drill) and some strong string like hemp thread. About 70 flowers will make a 3 foot mala. Watching the makers tie them with banana 'grass' outside the big temples of India is amazing. Roses are common there.

In the Hindu temple of Greater Cleveland, and at the Shiva Vishnu temple in DC I saw volunteers stringing mums. I don't particularly like mums from the odor. Carns are really easy too. This summer at our festival a young Tamil man knew what he was doing.

 

[Jainarayan]

I was thinking of using the mini carnations. Around here we can get a bunch of at least 30 mini carnations for $6. Same for small mums. I usually get two bunches of the regular carnations or mums, 10/bunch for $6 ea. And they’re really nice. I’ve occasionally taken the small ones and tossed them while chanting the Pushpam Mantra. I usually just chant it.

 

[Vinayaka]

I was thinking of using the mini carnations. Around here we can get a bunch of at least 30 mini carnations for $6. Same for small mums. I usually get two bunches of the regular carnations or mums, 10/bunch for $6 ea. And they’re really nice. I’ve occasionally taken the small ones and tossed them while chanting the Pushpam Mantra. I usually just chant it.

I use the petals for ashtottaram. Right now we still have lots of rose petals ... from hardy roses. But frost will be doing them in too. About 4 years back I planted about 20 hardy roses at the temple, all from donations by friends. Lots of variety ... white, pinks, yellows, reds. As chief landscaper, I get the perk of bringing home petals from deadheading. Besides, we have a ton at home. Nasturtiums are really excellent for decorating, although they don't last.

 

[Aupmanyav]

.. and Sita but no Rama.

Look around, If one is present, the others will also be there. How can Lord Rama be without Mother Sita? And if Lord Rama is there, then, Brothers Bharat, Lakshman, Shatrugna and the devoted Hanuman ji also will be there. You have not seen very closely.

 

[Aupmanyav]

Ganesha visits Aupmanyav's place.

And his trunk was a little bit too pink. I wonder if he had an unseasonal cold?

Another much-loved deity with the Aryans was Usha (Eos), she has been totally forgotten except for mentions in Vedas.

But Usha remains a much-loved female name. My Aunt was was given that name after marriage (a tradition with Kashmiri brahmins). My mother was given the name of Uma.

 

[Jainarayan]

Look around, If one is present, the others will also be there. How can Lord Rama be without Mother Sita? And if Lord Rama is there, then, Brothers Bharat, Lakshman, Shatrugna and the devoted Hanuman ji also will be there. You have not seen very closely.

I hope you are right, but I I didn't see anything. I also said there should be Lakshmana and Hanuman. That would make an awesome Ram Parivar display or shrine. What this store does (it's a chain store) is attends trade shows and selects items, in bulk, to feature in the stores. Of course, I check back frequently for new items.

 

[Jainarayan]

I use the petals for ashtottaram. Right now we still have lots of rose petals ... from hardy roses. But frost will be doing them in too. About 4 years back I planted about 20 hardy roses at the temple, all from donations by friends. Lots of variety ... white, pinks, yellows, reds. As chief landscaper, I get the perk of bringing home petals from deadheading. Besides, we have a ton at home. Nasturtiums are really excellent for decorating, although they don't last.

I fell asleep with the phone in my hand before I could respond.

I have several rose bushes that are, I guess you could call them, cluster roses. I snip them occasionally for puja. I'm working on learning the Sri Krishna Ashtottaram. I have a recording of it that I can chant with while reading it. I've noticed that when the priests do an archana, especially at the end of the Sri Ganesha abhishekam, they just have a few flowers they toss at the deity. I don't know what kind of housing we'll settle on (not sure if house, apartment, townhouse), but I hope I can have room for rose bushes and other small flower beds. I would have mums, marigolds (large and small), zinnias (I love zinnias... so colorful) as well.

 

[Aupmanyav]

There were rose bushes in my father-in-laws house. They were laden with larger roses roses that were slightly scented, not as strongly as the normal Indian rose.

 

[Jainarayan]

Btw, how does everyone dispose of the offered flowers? Outdoors, regular trash? I remove them a day or three later only if they are looking peekid, put them in a paper bag and them scatter them under bushes or trees in my backyard. Sometimes the giant pom-pom chrysanthemums can last almost a week. Carnations are long-lasting too. I see garlands at temple that are at least several days old, but in good shape, despite reading that flowers should be removed the very next day. I don't know what they do with the old flowers. Maybe they have a compost heap somewhere.

 

[Aupmanyav]

What you are doing is OK. They can be composted but kept away from 'impure' trash.

 

[Vinayaka]

Btw, how does everyone dispose of the offered flowers? Outdoors, regular trash? I remove them a day or three later only if they are looking peekid, put them in a paper bag and them scatter them under bushes or trees in my backyard. Sometimes the giant pom-pom chrysanthemums can last almost a week. Carnations are long-lasting too. I see garlands at temple that are at least several days old, but in good shape, despite reading that flowers should be removed the very next day. I don't know what they do with the old flowers. Maybe they have a compost heap somewhere.

I throw them on my garden, where they will eventually compost. We don't have a compost pile going, so all the organic stuff just goes on the garden.

 

[Jainarayan]

I throw them on my garden, where they will eventually compost. We don't have a compost pile going, so all the organic stuff just goes on the garden.

Sounds good. I hate the idea of tossing offerings in the trash... food, flowers or whatever.

 

[Jainarayan]

So yeah... my coworker invited me to a Satyanarayana Puja at her house on a Saturday in November. I think she said it's a house-warming. I was blown away at the invitation. She said check my calendar and let her know, no obligation, just a friendly invite. I would love to go. Of course my anxieties will be gearing up... the drive, meeting new people, I've never been to a home puja. I thought it was really sweet that she invited me, and I would love to go. Do I bring anything? I assume flowers are always appropriate. I wonder about dress... western "temple/business casual", traditional Indian? I don't want to look like I'm trying too hard.

 

[Vinayaka]

So yeah... my coworker invited me to a Satyanarayana Puja at her house on a Saturday in November. I think she said it's a house-warming. I was blown away at the invitation. She said check my calendar and let her know, no obligation, just a friendly invite. I would love to go. Of course my anxieties will be gearing up... the drive, meeting new people, I've never been to a home puja. I thought it was really sweet that she invited me, and I would love to go. Do I bring anything? I assume flowers are always appropriate. I wonder about dress... western "temple/business casual", traditional Indian? I don't want to look like I'm trying too hard.

Western casual is fine. You 'have' to take something. Fruit is nice, as is a houseplant if it's a housewarming.