Saturn - May 2006

May was a very busy month for yagyas. We begin in south India with a special Vishnu celebration at which the puja.net was a major sponsor. A special fire yagya was performed at a local patasala (school for young priests).



As part of the event, the temple deity (Rama) is dressed up on a flower covered cart...





and taken through the streets for everyone to see.



The event included a fire yagya (homam)



And as always we provided a special meal and new dhotis for the young priests in training.





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At the Saturn temple in Tirunallar we performed a Saturn Yagya every day.



In India we can use all the best traditional ingredients in our yagyas.



Every day we performed a complete fire yagya.



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On Mother's Day our priests travelled to a special Parvati Temple to perform abishekam and puja for the Divine Mother (and our own mothers).



The abishekam started with many litres of milk.



After being coated with vibhuti (sacred ash) offerings of light are made as various traditional mantras are chanted.



We provde a new sari and lots of fresh flower malas.



The final puja (called aarti) is wonderfully dramatic.

Ayyapa - April 2006

April's temple yagya took place in a very nice traditional Ayyapa temple. Ayyapa is a peaceful god that is the resulting child of a mythological story involving Shiva and Vishnu. He is very popular in South India.



As usual, the temple yagya consisted of cooling liquid offerings that are poured over the deity. In this photo we see the temple murti covered in yogurt.




And then scented sandal paste...




After the abishekam, we provide a new silk dhoti and beautiful fresh flower malas. The priests perform the final puja by offering light from burning camphor.




At the end of the pujas the deity looks refreshed, purified, and well...happy.