Above is a picture of the Navaratri "Golu" at our house - October 2015. Wife and kids arranged and payed great attention to it!
It is with great humility that this post is written. There
was a thought that flashed in the mind about performing a Maha Chandi Homam at
our back deck at the house EVERY DAY for the nine days of Navaratri 2015. As
you might know, this is quite a big undertaking even when done with the minimum
requirements. But the greatest moral of this story is that the Divine Powers
above us HELP us in every way possible, when we take on tasks that are inherently good.
To start off, the wife and children were all for it and the
people at work were willing for giving time off DURING the work day – this was
necessary, because it is very dark in the morning and gets very dark in the
evening hours.
Secondly, nine boxes of wood had to be cut and kept ready;
that process started on September 20, 2015. The Indian store from where
coconuts had to be purchased in a large quantity of about 110 pounds, could not
find it for a long time and finally located a supplier in New Jersey that was
able to deliver 130 pounds just in time; all those coconuts were cut into the
right sizes. The availability of large quantities of "ghee" was getting delayed, but finally came in. All the necessary items for the ahutis were obtained. Flowers were
purchased and FedExed from Vivek Flowers in New Jersey.
The deck was swept, kept spick and span because all the
Devatas, Devis, Gurus and Rishis would be coming to attend the havan. A
portable tent was purchased in case it rained; that became available at Sears
at a discounted price of $53.
So many factors had to be in favor – health had to be good
with no flu-like symptoms; throat had to be good to enable recitation; the
bodily functions of excretion had to co-operate for the five hours of homam
every day; there should be good Vak Shuddhi to enable reciting mantras
properly; weather had to co-operate with no rains or strong winds.
Kept on praying to Kanchi Maha Periyava and all the Gods and
Goddesses to help with all these variables and keep them controlled and enable
a nice offering of Homam. For three weeks, the forecast was for rain on Tuesday
the 13th of October, the first day and on the Friday, three days
later. Amazingly, the rain meant for Tuesday, came and went one day sooner and
the rain for Friday came and went the previous mid-night! The tent was not even
needed! Winds were under control! Health was good; throat was good; bodily
functions were good. All of the rains and winds came in the following week !
Children made the flower malas for Devi; wife made
neivedyams every day; there were no problems at work. Kept
asking Devi to give some sign that the prayers are reaching HER, by way of a
photo or picture at least by way of a cell phone message. On the sixth day,
wife gave a picture of Kalika Devi, saying “ I had purchased this from Butala
Emporium long ago; forgot to give it to you ! You can have !” That was the trip
ticket to cloud nine. That is the picture below -- Kalika Devi -- the Master of Time !
Included HER
also in the havan in the last two days! Did not take pictures or videos – was
nervous all the time!
It was nothing but bliss! Thank YOU Maha Periyava! Thank YOU
Adi Para Shakthi! Thank YOU Lord Shiva!
Om Namaschandikaayai !
