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Navaratri Celebrations
in Omkarananda Ashram Himalayas
from 4th to 13th April 2011
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| Lord Ganesha for the smooth
protection. |
As every year in spring and in autumn special
decorations were made for the great festival of Navaratri - the
nine days worship for Goddess Durga. Omkarananda-Kamakshi-Devi
Temple was looking extremely beautiful with its shining colourful
lights all around. An Altar was specially erected with Gurudev,
Durga and other Deities, who were fully surrounded with flowers
and incense as well as the necessary Puja items for the coming
days.
Daily in the morning elaborate Pujas were
conducted and after Arati everybody could receive the Prasadam.
Everyday an additional powerful Yajna - a
traditional Vedic ritual - was performed in the evening, again
followed by Arati and Prasadam.
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As every Navaratri a
nicely decorated Durga along with Gurudev
and
different Deities, full of flowers and lights. |
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Purnahuti by Priest
Mukesh and
Swami Vishveshwarananda. |
Prayers by the Priests of
Omkarananda-Kamakshi-Devi Temple. |
 On 12th April evening after the Arati, Kumari
Somashekhari and her students performed typical Indian Classical
Dances in front of Omkarananda-Kamakshi-Devi. Swami
Vishveshwarananda offered thanks to the wonderful dance Artists
and also to all the Priests who worked very hard to make Navaratri
a truly divine function.
On the next day, Vijaya Dashami, after the
final Yajna, the very exciting Kanya Puja took place. Nine small
girls and a married Lady, a Mother of children, were honoured.
Somashekhari blessed all of them with Tilaka, sprinkled Ganges
water, gave each and every one a nice flower mala and finally all
of them received very beautiful gifts. The Mother, who was a
special invitee, was offered a beautiful Saree. All these
offerings were made while the Priests were chanting the holy
Mantras. In the end a special Bhandara was arranged for the nice
Kanyas.
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| Kumari Somashekhari and her students
worship Durga Devi with a special Dance performance. |
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Swami Vishveshwarananda
offers Thanks to the Artists and Priests
and speaks
about the importance of Navaratri.
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Swami Visheshvarananda with
Priests conducting Yajna. |
Swami Satchidananda and visitors
attending the Arati. |
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Kumari Somashekhari
offers wonderful presents
to the 9 Kanyas, applies
Tilaka, gives them a Mala
and worships them as Devis.
|
 Navaratri was also simultaneously celebrated
in other Temples of Omkarananda Ashram Himalayas, like in
Omkarananda Dipeshwar Mandir, Lakshmanjhula, a beautiful Temple
situated directly at the Ganga, next to the famous Lakshmanjhula
Bridge, and also in Omkarananda Radha-Krishna Mandir, Dehradun
Road, Rishikesh.
This Navaratri again - because a lot of hard
work and effort has taken place - was well organised, very
powerful and the eternal Presence of Paramahamsa Omkarananda
Saraswati could be felt by each and every one.
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Shri Sukumar performs
Yajna
in Omkarananda Dipeshwar Mandir.
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Pujas, Yajnas and
Honouring of Kanyas
in Omkarananda Radha-Krishna
Mandir
by Shri Varshney, Shri Sukumar and visitors. |
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