Just like in 2015 and 2016, the same desire to conduct a Maha Chandi Homam every day of the nine days came back in the mind now in 2017. ( The article in 2015 along with the miracle then can be found here and the one in 2016 here . However, being a year older the mind worried about stamina. And as before, hoped for the help of the Divinities.
Srimathy wanted to install the already massive Golu arrangement in the basement – eleven steps taller than six feet, 12 feet wide and front to back was 9 feet. Srimathy, Sapna and Ajay were busy setting up the beautiful eleven step golu which is the picture on top of this post; to give a perspective of the size, below is a picture with Srimathy, Sapna and Ajay (along with Adiyen) beside the golu. The new additions this year included Sri Kanchi Maha Periyava in the 7th step from the top extreme left and Sri Annapoorni Devi from Varanasi in the 8th step in the middle between two small lamps.
Twelve boxes of wood were cut and
kept ready, four forty pound bags of pre-cut coconut halves were
purchased and put into smaller bags of 50 pieces, plenty of
bottles of ghee, cashews, raisins, almonds, etc were purchased; flowers, betel leaves and mango leaves were
obtained from Vivek Flowers in New Jersey.
Srimathy made fresh food for the Divinities every day after shower and in a
state of “Madi” ( which means absolute cleanliness in Tamil ). This time
workplace allowed me to come AFTER the Homam every day around 2:30 pm and do
whatever had to be done.
As before, health co-operated – no cold, flu or cough or
digestion problems. This year, the biggest issue to deal with was the weather.
Hurricane Irma was on full swing and had wrecked the Carribean and had hit
Florida and was scheduled to hit Connecticut on the 20th September
2017; kept praying to Sri Kanchi Maha Periyava to avert bad weather; finally on
the evening of 19th , decided to start on the 21st and
thus avoid the potential havoc. ( this year there was confusion – many started
on the 20th and many on the 21st ). Guess what – nothing
happened on the 20th; there was no storm. So started 1st
day on the 21st; but hurricane Maria was right behind and was
scheduled to hit the following Wednesday on the 27th; workplace was
planning to shut down that day and the mind was REALLY worried as to how will the
tent hold up; where to do the function – finally said “If Maha Periyava wants
the Homams to go as planned, then He will take care of the weather, whatever
that might be – why worry” – and you know what Nothing Happened AGAIN --- no
hurricane, no wind, nothing – the hurricane took a sudden curve to go to sea
!!! If this is not a miracle then what is ?
Also, for a long time, there has been a desire to offer
seedless dates to Agni; miraculously, a friend by the name of Vishnu from
California, texted asking if he could do anything for the Homams this year –
immediately requested to ship a pound ( half a kilo ) of high quality seedless dates; he said
“You know, I have been thinking of dates for myself – amazingly, you are asking
for the same; will go right after work and send them by FedEx.” The beautiful dates came
and were offered every day during the Homams – every
video in this post at the bottom, shows (hard to see) the dates from Sri Vishnu of California
being offered to Agni. The Gods wanted the dates and Vishnu was the instrument.
The event went
beautifully – everyday the Homam comprised of Pavamaana Suktham, Ganapathi Homam
followed by Kavacham, Argala Stotram, Keelakam, Sidhdha Kunjika Stotram, Devi
Atharva Sheersham, Vedoktam Raatri Suktam, Tantroktam Raatri Suktam, Navarna
Mantra, Nyaasams,etc, then Thirteen Chapters of Durga Saptashati, Rahasyams,
Kshama Praarthanaa, Sri Suktham. The Navagrahas were invited, Siddha Purushaas,
Maha Purushaas, Bhairavas, Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma, Saraswati, Kali, Mahalakshmi,
Para Shakthi Devi, Sri Kanchi Maha Periyava, Sri Dr. G. Krishna Kumar, Sri Sivan Sar,
Maharishis, Mata Amrutanandamayi, Ramanuja, Manavala Maa Muni, Hayagreeva, Mitra,
Varuna, etc, etc, etc all with an offering of Aahuti. It took roughly 2 ½ hours to prepare, 4 hours for the Homam and ½
hour to clean up after every Homam. At the end it
was pure bliss! James, the Divine Soul from the
workplace, attended the 4th day – Devi Herself invited him! This
time acquaintances Sri Dr. Chitra and Sri Vaitheeswaran -- attended on the 6th day.
Short two minute video clips were taken during
the Homams by Srimathy and are presented below for each of the nine days followed by
a clip of Shiva Sahasranama Homam performed on the tenth day. When watching these
short clips, please see full screen with headphones on high volume. YouTube links are at
the bottom of this post. Brief details are given in the YouTube description for
each video. One can see the Divinities present, by focusing at the walls of the
Homa Kundam.
During Navaratri, music was presented to the Deities in the
Golu. Here is a short clip of a song sung by Sri Bala Thiru of Connecticut.
(Adiyen on tabla) Pardon the ruckus by toddlers.Sep 21 2017 Day 2
Sep 21 2017 Day 3
Sep 21 2017 Day 4
Sep 21 2017 Day 5
Sep 21 2017 Day 6
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9o773yAhucw
Sep 21 2017 Day 7
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stWiR903uDY
Sep 21 2017 Day 8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxKgkD1KKE0
Sep 21 2017 Day 9
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3gGxag6kXE
Sep 21 2017 Day 10 – Shiva Sahasranama Homam
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Tpg38T55AU
Om Sri Kalika Devi Namo Namaha ! Om Sri Mahalakshmi Devi
Namo Namaha ! Om Sri Maha Saraswati Namo Namah ! Om Sri Kanchi Maha Periyava Namo
Namaha ! Om Sri Krishna Kumaraaya Namo Namaha ! Om Namaschandikaayai ! Om Namah Shivaaya !
