Ramanavami celebration at White House, R.T.nagar

Rama Rama Rama

At first, I thought I will blog the Ramanavami celebrations tomorrow. But hit the cake when it is hot. I just could not resist myself from the excitement on penning down a few lines about the event. So, here it goes!!!

It began a month back with the temple committee getting together for its act of planning, collecting donations, reaching out to public, program itinerary, prasadam and other activities.  We are not true devotees. Hence the small apprehension of the function being conducted well was lingering in our minds. But all these worries and apprehensions were all destroyed by Rama with his arrow of mercy. His bow was full of blessings today for all those who came and encouraged the event. We just climbed one step, he came down a 100 steps. Donations trickled in, people flowed in.

We had it all – chanting, bhajans, classical music, upanyasam, big ladies, small children, young girls performing –and of course the audience. The LAHARI children started off the celebrations with a lovely recital of Ramayana. The students of Smt. Chitra Bilvam rendered soulful performance with their cute and innocent voices. The rama keerthanas by Priyanka and Bhageerathi were divine and extremely melodious. And to add the most wanted pinch of salt to the food, was the ladies group with their ram bhajans, increasing the spiritual fervour. The last and the best program was that of Smt. Radha Ramaswami who spoke on the great qualities of Shri Rama. What an eloquent speech!!! What a majestic voice!!! What a great bhava in her talk!!!. It was rama rama everywhere. We were all spell bound. She wanted to give more and we wanted to listen to more. But Rama wanted the other way. He has been visiting parties organized for him all over the world. He must have been surely tired that he ended it in WH with a grand puliyogara and sweet pongal prasadam.

Once parvati asks Shiva:

Keno Paayena Laghunaam Vishor nama sahasrakam  |

Pat yathih panditaih nityam, shrothum icaami aham prabho ||

“By chanting which name of Vishnu in an easy way can one get moksham”

For this Shiva replies thus:

Shri Rama Rama Rama iti, Rame Raame mano Rame

Sahasra nama thathulyam, Rama Nama Varanane

which means that if anyone chants the name of Rama, it is equivalent to chanting the entire 1000 names of Vishnu (Vishnu sahasranama). So, we can be rest assured that we have all chanted sahasranama several times today. And Rama is sure to bless us with spiritual success. With a small note that this need not be an excuse for not learning the sahasranama..:)

And wherever Rama is there, Hamunan is there in all humility and shedding tears of joy.

Yatra Yatra Raghunatha keerthanam,

Tatra tatra krutamasta kanjalim

Bashpa vari pari purna lochanam

Wherever, the name of Rama is chanted, there all will be hanuman shedding tears of joy and in all humility.

What more can we want on such a great day – blessings, blessings and blessings everywhere.

All of us are so gifted to be a part of this apartment complex. With so much of spiritual vibrations, we are ably supported by residents. Let us all pray that the Lord will always shower his choicest blessing son us and give us bhakti, jnanam and vairagyam.

RAM RAM