Day 1 of Shri Devi Sharat Mahotsav 2015 started off with our Gurugaru Sri Sri Sri Gyaneshwaramba performing the auspicious Guru Puja.
Guru Puja was then followed by Ganapathi Puja to invoke the blessings of Lord Ganesha. Ganapathi Puja is performed before every auspicious occasion as it is believed that Lord Ganesha makes sure there are no obstacles to the occasion.
Every year, all the disciples of Sri Vidyanandanatha Dharma Samstha undertake a deeksha. Gurugaru presents all the disciples with Deeksha thoram (sacred thread) and Deeksha Vastralu (Clothes) after performing puja to the Deeksha vastralu.
This year Shri Chandrashekara Rao garu has sponsored the Deeksha Vastralu for everybody.
Every year an Akhanda Deepam is lit on the first day of Navaratri. This is called Akhanda Deepa Staphana. The Akhanda Deepam puja and Staphana was performed by Guruji.
Guru Puja was then followed by Ganapathi Puja to invoke the blessings of Lord Ganesha. Ganapathi Puja is performed before every auspicious occasion as it is believed that Lord Ganesha makes sure there are no obstacles to the occasion.
Every year, all the disciples of Sri Vidyanandanatha Dharma Samstha undertake a deeksha. Gurugaru presents all the disciples with Deeksha thoram (sacred thread) and Deeksha Vastralu (Clothes) after performing puja to the Deeksha vastralu.
This year Shri Chandrashekara Rao garu has sponsored the Deeksha Vastralu for everybody.
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| Deeksha Vastralu |
Every Dussehra, Koti Kumkumarchana is performed in our Peetham. In Koti Kumkumarchana, Kumkum is offered to the Almighty Lalitha ammavaru by reciting the Lalitha Sahsranama Parayanam 10,000 times. The Lalitha Sahsranama parayana, as the name denotes, has 1000 names of ammavaru and reciting it 10,000 times means we are reciting her name for a crore times (Koti in telugu is Crore in English). The sound vibrations that are produced during the recital of Shri Lalitha Sahrasnamam reverberate in the Peetham and create an atmosphere which is hard to describe in words.
The evening session on Day 1 was off to a cultural start, with a devotional concert by Geetha Madhuri. Needless to say she left everybody spellbound with her rendition of bhajans and classical songs. Entertainments is also an offering to Shri Lalitha Ammavaru and it started on a bright note.
Every day, Kumari Puja and Suvasini puja is performed in the Peetham. Every day, Kumari's and Suvasini's are worshiped by invoking each avatar of Ammavaru.
On the first day, the Kumari Puja was performed by invoking "Koumari" ammavaru. Baby Aadhya and Baby Kavya were the "Kumaris" on Day 1.
Homams are performed every day during the Sharata Mahotsavam. On the first day, Yagashala Pravesham is done followed by Agni Staphana. Agni Staphana is the first step before commencement of all the Homams,
Later in the evening, Gurugaru performed the Maha Kalasa Sthapana followed by Maha Naivedyam and Aarathi.
That marked the end of the first day events !!!
