Friday
Dear Friends,
Good Evening!
On this auspicious evening,may I wish you A Very Happy Makar Sankranti,Happy Pongal and Happy Lohri!I have just come back from Shri Ayyappa Temple.The annual festival started today.The whole temple is beautifully decorated with marigold garlands and electric bulbs.The illuminations and lit lamps added beauty to the premises.
The added attraction was two huge cut outs of elephants.They looked like real elephants and I fell in love with them.I will name them soon.The golden plated Kolam with Lord Ayyappa engraved in the middle was brought from Thrissur.The musical instruments and the artists reached from Pattambi,in Kerala.
Cultural programme started after deepaaradhana.Most of the local students get a chance to perform their talents.Today there was Ayyappa Pooja in Dubai Ayyappa Temple too.I am so happy that my friend sent me the photos immediately.
Hope you might have watched Makara Jyothi On Tv screen.after the pooja when the shrine was opened devotee's mind calls out,''Swamiye Saranamayyappa!''Lord is beautifully adorned with many floral garlands.each time when I go to temple,I surrender everything at the lotus feet of God.
Makar Sankranti is one of the most important Hindu festivals.The sun entethe sun enters the zodiac sign of 'Makar'[Capricon].'Sankranti means the movement from one zodiac sign to another.It marks the equinox-the day and night are of equal duration on this day.After today,the days will be longer.It marks the end of winter and heralds the arrival of spring.It is also the harvest festival,which has been celebrated from the times of the Aryans.The Sun God is said to turn his back on winter with his seven horse chariot,marching forward.The Sun is celebrated because it is the symbol of eternal light.
Each festival leaves some message to adopt.Makar Sankranti signifies enlightment and the transition of the self from ignorance to true knowledge.It spreads goodwill,peace and prosperity.It is indicative of overcoming hard feelings and promoting stronger bonds of love.
Makar Sankranti is celebrated all over India.In Gujarat,the celebrations are marked by kite flying competitions.In Uttar Pradesh the Kumbha Mela is held at Prayag in Allahabad.People bathe in the Sangam[confluence of the Ganga,Jamuna and Saraswathi] at Prayag.Hordes of people throng to this mela to take a dip in the holy water which is said to cleanse people of their sins.The holy bath is believed to open the gates of heaven for ordinary mortals according to Hindu custom.The Hindus offer water to the Sun God in gratitude for a good harvest.
Pongal in Tamil means 'boiling over or spill over'.The boiling over of milk in the clay pot is considered to denote future wishes for the family.the moment the rice boils over and bubbles out of the festival,the family members shout out 'Ponggalo Pongal'.
pongal is celebrated as harvest festival for three days in Chennai.Boiled rice and milk are offered to the Rain God the first day and to the Sun God the second day.on the third day,family cattle will be given a bath,adorned with colours to honour them for the hard work they put in.
In Punjab,it is celebrated as Lohri.Bonfires are lit on the eve of Sankranti into which sweets,sugarcane and rice are thrown.
In Maharashtra and Goa,it is celebrated by everyone.it is a special occasion for married ladies and they have a get together called 'Haldi Kumkum'.A pooja is offered after which family members exchange a sweet made out of sesame seeds and jaggery as agesture of goodwill.
According to Hindu mythology,it is believed that by bathing with 'til'[sesame] water,performing 'til homam'.'til tarpan','tilbhakshan' and donating 'til' cleanses past sins.
It is customary to eat sweetmeats made out of 'til' and 'gul'[jaggery] along with puffed rice.
Lakhs of devotees are crowded at Sabarimala to have drshan of Makar Jyothi.It's a miracle that happens every year on this day in between 6-6.30p.m.Makar Jyothi is a celestial star which is worshipped by the pilgrims.the devotees believe that witnessing the light brings them good luck and divine blessings.Makar Jyothi marks the climax of the Makara vilakku season of Sabarimala pilgrimage lasting 41 days.All the eyes will be glued to the channels now to have the punya darshan of Makara Jyothi.
It's Anu signing off..............
May Lord Ayyappa belss one and all.Wishing you a peaceful and calm night,
Reminding you Anu loves all of you,
Sasneham,
Anu
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