Thai Sukravara Deepa Puja Celebrated at Sri Meenakshi Temple

Beautifully decorated lamps symbolizing Goddess Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswathi at Sri MTS during the Thai Sukravara Puja.                      Photo: Luckmi Pawa

Beautifully decorated lamps symbolizing Goddess Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswathi at Sri MTS during the Thai Sukravara Puja. Photo: Luckmi Pawa

PEARLAND: It was a cold and crisp evening with the wind chill making it feel colder than the forty degree temperature on Friday, February 7.  Inside the main sannadhi of the Sri Meenakshi Temple, Pearland, the devotee’s heart were warmed to the serene atmosphere created by the “Villaku” (Deepa or Lamp) puja, worshipping the Goddesses, Sri Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswathi, invoked in the form of “Jyothi swaroopa” (form of light), as symbolized by the three silver Kuthuvalaku (lamps).  The annual Deepa puja is performed for Sri Meenakshi during the Tamil month of Thai on a Friday evening. After the invocatory prayer, the lamps were lit and the Kumkum archana for the Lamps started with the recitation of Lalitha Saharanamavali.  Sri Manickasundara Bhattar led the beautiful chanting along with SriPawan Kumar and Sri Kalyanasundaram with the devotees accompanying them, thus creating a beautiful reverberation of the sacred sloka.  At the end of the Namavali, Devi stuthi was recited, followed by Deeparaadhanai.  Flowers, Prasadam and fruits were brought by the devotee to offer the Goddess.  Nearly 50 ladies partook in the deepa puja and archana, all resplendent in fine attire braving the cool weather and keen on getting blessing of the Almighty Goddess.  The event concluded with the distribution of Kum kum and flowers to the devotees.  Mala Gopal, Cultural committee lead from MTS board coordinated the wonderfully organized event.    The devotees left to go home late night content in partaking in the auspicious puja,  and happy in getting blessing of Goddess Sri Meenakshi.

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