Inaugural Pooja for the Lakshmi Sanctum with Vimanam
Mahalakshmi entering the main temple Rajagopuram with devotees carrying Golden bricks.
Photos: Srini Sundararajan and Koushik Govindarajan
By Ranjana Narasiman
PEARLAND: We call HER by many names Padmavathi, Devi, Thaayaar, Mahalakshmi and more, our Goddess Lakshmi in the form of Moolavar, the installed deity at Sri Meenakshi Temple’s main sannidhi and in the form of utsavar, the procession deity who sat majestically, on a decorated podium at the newly renovated Ganesh Temple. She presided over the gold wrapped bricks which are to be used to build her a new sanctum with vimanam at the main temple so that her devotees can worship her with more pomp and splendor befitting her majesty. This Lakshmi Puja was the inaugural puja for the Main Temple Renovation project (MTRP).
Devotees gathered in the new Ganesh Temple Hall listen intently to the chanting at Lakshmi Pooja.
Over 300 devotees sat in front of Sri Lakshmi who received all the fruits and flowers and homemade prasadams brought by them with utmost love for Her. It was a beautiful day when the sun’s rays seemed to be piped in through the skylight, illuminating Her and in turn She radiated that energy to her devotees who very devotedly recited the 1000 plus names of Her, some from rote memory and others by reading from the word document with her names cleverly projected on the screen. The hall was charged with devotion as the priests (Sreedharan Raghavan and Manickasundaram Bhattar) ended the puja with an archana using golden Lotus flowers specially made for the Goddess who gives us the wealth to sustain ourselves on this earth.
Resplendent in alankara with Golden bricks Mahalskmi seated majestically in front of Ganesha sannadhi.
After the Maha Aarathi, sanctum sponsors carried one gold-wrapped brick each in a procession with the goddess from the Ganesh temple to the main temple and placed it at the spot where the new sanctum is being conceived. After a grand aarathi for all the presiding deities, the pradhana murthis, Meenakshi, Sundareshwarar and Venkateshwarar, the devotees were invited to lunch at the youth center. It was a very satisfying experience for all the board members, organizers, priests, staff, volunteers and devotees to be a part of this grand event. The fact that the golden bricks were a sold-out event is testament to our love for the Goddess and our longing for her to have a splendid abode and an auspicious start to the Main Temple Renovation Project (MTRP). MTS chairman Dr. Vaduganathan thanked the Fund raising committee for the successful start to the MTRP effort and the event coordinator and MTS secretary Srikanth Venugopalan thanked all the volunteers, devotees and board members for the team effort in making the event successful.