This month till date was the most tiring month ever. It was full of all excitement and new comings.
Krishnasthami:
This year we were awake till 12.00 AM. We normally do this but this time was different. Now we have our new DG Cam so ever moment can be captured. I took the pictures of every ritual. Starting from exposing the Lil’ Krishna to the night light after he was hiding below the tulsi leaves the whole day. Then the ablution with the five “Panchamrut” ingredients. To dressing him in those little gorgeous red costumes and ornaments. And then putting him in the swing ‘Palna’ and singing the songs of child birth. I love it all! And I have tried to capture every bit of it.
The next day was Dhai Handi but unfortunately I couldn’t see any of them live! So sorry no pictures.
Satyanarayan Pooja
“Satyanarayan Pooja is one of the best & easiest ways to seek blessings from Lord Vishnu, who is the God responsible for maintenance of this Universe. “ We had it on the last Saturday of Shravan month according to Hindu calander.
Ganesh Chaturthi:
My personal favorite. I love this festival. We have ‘Hartalika’ fast on the previous day (we can’t have cooked food and water this day!) Unfortunately it become a fast for other members of the family too as Mom doesn’t cook. They have to manage with some fruits and daal bhat (Rice and yellow Daal). The fast ends with the arrival of Ganesha the next day.
Fortunately this year was the 75th Anniversary of the Famous ‘Lalbaag Ka Raja’. We had our lunch early on the 5th (5th September was Ganesh Chaturthi, the 1st day) and started for the darshan of the Raja. The most honorable Ganpati in Mumbai. The queue started from the main gate and then took and long turn about the Kalaghoda or some such place. By the time we came back to the same location we had started from outside the pandal when we were inside, we had already spent 6 hours in the queue. The frustration and leg pain and made it look for worst. We asked somebody for guidance who told it will take another 2 hours for the darshan. We decided to wait. There were maze of queues inside the pandal. If you really want to know it would have been nearly 7-8 kms of walking. Not to forget the breaking of queues and the trace parcels and the VIPs coming and halting the queue for hours. There was terrible lack of co-ordination and volunteers. Finally after 12 hours of long wait we got to see the Raja from 10 feet away for 30 sec. The volunteers here were pro active in pushing the queue towards the exit.
I personally feel this could have been avoided with a little good management by the volunteers and staff members. The police forces were as helpful as absent. I really wanted to see the idol atleast for 3 mins after the toil of 12 hours waiting.
Krishnasthami:
This year we were awake till 12.00 AM. We normally do this but this time was different. Now we have our new DG Cam so ever moment can be captured. I took the pictures of every ritual. Starting from exposing the Lil’ Krishna to the night light after he was hiding below the tulsi leaves the whole day. Then the ablution with the five “Panchamrut” ingredients. To dressing him in those little gorgeous red costumes and ornaments. And then putting him in the swing ‘Palna’ and singing the songs of child birth. I love it all! And I have tried to capture every bit of it.
The next day was Dhai Handi but unfortunately I couldn’t see any of them live! So sorry no pictures.
Satyanarayan Pooja
“Satyanarayan Pooja is one of the best & easiest ways to seek blessings from Lord Vishnu, who is the God responsible for maintenance of this Universe. “ We had it on the last Saturday of Shravan month according to Hindu calander.
Ganesh Chaturthi:
My personal favorite. I love this festival. We have ‘Hartalika’ fast on the previous day (we can’t have cooked food and water this day!) Unfortunately it become a fast for other members of the family too as Mom doesn’t cook. They have to manage with some fruits and daal bhat (Rice and yellow Daal). The fast ends with the arrival of Ganesha the next day.
Fortunately this year was the 75th Anniversary of the Famous ‘Lalbaag Ka Raja’. We had our lunch early on the 5th (5th September was Ganesh Chaturthi, the 1st day) and started for the darshan of the Raja. The most honorable Ganpati in Mumbai. The queue started from the main gate and then took and long turn about the Kalaghoda or some such place. By the time we came back to the same location we had started from outside the pandal when we were inside, we had already spent 6 hours in the queue. The frustration and leg pain and made it look for worst. We asked somebody for guidance who told it will take another 2 hours for the darshan. We decided to wait. There were maze of queues inside the pandal. If you really want to know it would have been nearly 7-8 kms of walking. Not to forget the breaking of queues and the trace parcels and the VIPs coming and halting the queue for hours. There was terrible lack of co-ordination and volunteers. Finally after 12 hours of long wait we got to see the Raja from 10 feet away for 30 sec. The volunteers here were pro active in pushing the queue towards the exit.
I personally feel this could have been avoided with a little good management by the volunteers and staff members. The police forces were as helpful as absent. I really wanted to see the idol atleast for 3 mins after the toil of 12 hours waiting.
