A day of special prayers

The air was filled with chants. A small group of 10/12 people were singing a song praising Ganesha. They had come a long way from somewhere deep in Pensylvania driving since early dawn. Their eyes were drowsey. And the voices were not in synch, even the notes were not in place. Yet it seemed as though the temple was filled with eathereal tune. I stopped at mid-stride, a few seconds passed by seemed eternal. Mr. Padmanabhan, my guide, brought me back to present. He is a busy man, after all. There were four special prayers going on Shukla Shasthi, a day when Brihashpati (Jupiter) exits the Meena (Pieces) and enters the home of Mesha (Aries). Priests and their assistants were cleaning the deities with milk while reciting Vedic hymns. On the centerstage, devotees were circling around the home of Ganesha leaving the Pensyvania group before them. On one side of the floor, Sri Shammukha homa was going on. With devotees sitting like a horseshoe in front of it and the priest on the other side, it seemed to me as though the Vedic agnihotra ritual was being performed. On a makeshift altar a small fire was going on, the priest and his assistant offering clarified butter and incense while reciting mantra. On another side, another group of 10/12 people were enjoying reading from Ramayana, but the flat, monotonous recitation lacked melodrama and excitement I experienced in the short clip shown in class.