February 19 – February 25 Shivaratri 2007 Early in the morning of Shivaratri, we saw our beloved Swamiji sitting in asan by the sacred fire and chanting many, many scriptures – the Chandi, Rudri, Shiva Sahasranama. For 24 hours, the fire was blazing with the offering of various mantras, especially “Om Namah Sivaya�.” The temple […]
Devi Mandir Diary – Holi 2007
February 26 – March 11 Holi 2007 In early spring each year, the festival of Holi is celebrated in many parts of India. It is a called the festival of colors and people greet each other by smearing different color powders on each other and also pouring water and bursting balloons. It is a day […]
Navaratri Kumari Puja
Saptamī, the seventh day of Navaratri, is the day of Kumāri Pūjā. Kumāri literally means a young girl, and this pūjā, or worship, teaches us to see Divine Mother in a little girl – and ultimately in all of creation. Kumāri Pūjā is also an initiation to the young girl, for on that day She […]
Sacred Calendar
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Hanuman Puja
Every Saturday evening, Hanumān Pūjā is performed at the Devi Mandir using Swamiji’s Hanumān Pūjā book. The worship is conducted using red flowers, bananas, ladoos, maalpoa, and other sweets that are offered to Lord Hanumān, the embodiment of Pure Devotion. In the evening, following the pūjā, there is beautiful kirtan, and Shree Maa anoints the forehead […]
Rama Navami
Rama Navami (Sanskrit: राम नवमी, rāma navamī) celebrates the day of Śrī Rāma’s birth to King Daśaratha and Queen Kausalya in the city of Ayodhya – the Place of Perfect Peace. We celebrate Rāma Navamī on the 9th day of the bright fortnight of the lunar month called Chaitra, which usually falls in April. This […]
Krishna Janmashtami
The holy day of Sri Krishna’s birth, called Krishna Janmashtami (Sanskrit: कृष्ण जन्माष्टमी, kṛṣṇa janmāṣṭami), is celebrated with joyous feelings throughout India and the world on the 8th day of the dark fortnight in the month of Shravan (August-September). At the Devi Mandir we celebrate Janmashtami with the elaborate worship of Sri Krishna, including the […]
Monthly and Weekly Worship of Lord Shiva
Mondays are special days for Lord Shiva as are the 13th and 14th days of the Lunar Fortnight. These days are perfect opportunities to worship and cook for Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva enjoys worship with white flowers, and kitchuri and pongal are two of his favorite foods.
Saraswati Puja
On the fifth day of the bright fortnight of Magh we celebrate our annual Sarasvatī Pūjā. On this day, Swamiji establishes a pot for Mother Sarasvatī and we perform a group pūjā with many special offerings. All of the flowers and offerings for Mother Sarasvatī are typically white, and Mother Sarasvatī Herself shines brilliantly in sparkling […]
Monthly Worship of Saraswati
The fifth day of each bright and dark fortnight considered very auspicious for the worship of Mother Sarasvatī. On these days we can use the Cosmic Puja book and/or the Saraswati Puja book for children to worship Mother Sarasvatī
Annapurna Puja
At the Devi Mandir, Navaratri (the Nine Nights of Worship of Divine Mother) is celebrated four times a year — in fall, winter, spring and summer. Every Navaratri, devotees dedicate nine full days in worship of the Divine Mother through chanting, participating in homas (sacred fire ceremonies), performing pūjā, and sometimes fasting. At the culmination […]
Monthly Kali Worship
We pray to Mother Kālī to take away our darkness and reveal truth, love and wisdom in our hearts and minds. The 14th day of each lunar fortnight and the New Moon day of each month are special days for worship of Mother Kālī. Every New Moon day, Shree Maa offers five types of fruit, […]
Kali Puja
The Kālī Pūjā Festival is a held every year on the new moon night in the month of Aśvin (October-November). For this occasion, Shree Maa decorates the temple with paintings of red-colored feet, representing Divine Mother Kālī’s entering our temple to be worshiped, and many special offerings such as Kitchari, labra, and saak are prepared. An […]
Navaratri
Four times a year, we celebrate “Navaratri,” or the nine night celebration of Divine Mother. These celebrations, also known as Durgā Pūjā, occur from the first to the ninth night in the bright fortnight of the Magh, Chaitra, Ashad and Ashwin months in the lunar calendar and correspond to our winter, spring, summer and fall seasons. […]
Chaturthi
Lord Ganesh won the boon from Lord Shiva that He would be the first to be worshipped in any puja. Regardless of the occasion or scripture, we begin all our worship by invoking Lord Ganesh. He removes obstacles on the path of a spiritual seeker and bestows wisdom. The special days in the lunar cycle […]