Inauguration of Sri Arunachala Ramana Mandiram
in the Western Hemisphere
A Four-Day Festival in Canada
We have two letters from Arunachala Ashrama, Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi Center, R.R.1, Bridgetown, Nova Scotia. Canada, dated September 5 and 11, written by Dennis J.Hartel and Joan Greenblatt of the group of devotees of Bhagavan Sri Ramana led by Sri Arunachala Bhakta Bhagawata about the inauguration of a Temple of Bhagavan Ramana, bearing. the name, Sri Arunachala Ramana Mandiram, at Bridgetown, Nova Scotia, Canada.
These devotees had a schoolhouse ground at that locality and they wanted to build a Temple for Bhagavan Ramana there where devotees could gather for meditation and recitation of Bhagavan’s Hymns to Arunachala and his Upadesa Saram (Essence of all Teaching) and other works and arrange talks on Bhagavan and his message.
They started building the Temple with very little money on hand, but help continued to come from somewhere or other. Special mention has to be made here regarding the timely help on various occasions from Mr.Lex Hixon.[1]
So, the Temple got built by the grace of Bhagavan at the appointed time with the consecrated service of devotees and it was inaugurated on the forenoon of Friday, August 29, the day on, which Bhagavan started for Arunachala (Tiruvannamalai) from Madurai in the year 1896. Bhagavan’s Pictures were taken to the new Temple in procession, led by Dr.J.S.S.Lakshminarayana, Dr.Subba Rao Durvasula and Arunachala Bhakta Bhagawata and installed at the Altar. Regular puja was done with chanting of the Vedas and Arunachala Siva. The wives of the Doctors, Smt.Balaji and Smt.Sitaji and their children also served making garlands and cooking food-offering to Bhagavan.
The celebration went on for four days from August 29 to September 1. There was recitation of Sri Lalita Sahasranama by Bhagawata and party. There was special puja and bhajan also. A picture of Mother Meenakshi of Madurai also has been installed.
The function on September 1 (the day Bhagavan arrived at Arunachala in 1896), started with Ganesa puja and was followed by a short talk by Sri B.K.Rajui of Halifax. Bhagawata recited many hymns and prayers and gave a short talk, straight and simple on Bhagavan’s teaching and how to practise it in daily life. With the chanting ofi Upadesa Saram and bhajan, the function was over. Prasad (some Indian dishes) was served to all the devotees who had gathered. More than one hundred devotees attended the function on this, the chief day of the festivity.
“Bhagavan has blessed us all with a feeling of His Presence and Grace munificent. All are welcome to this Temple of Bhagavan Ramana,” the letter appeals to all devotees. There is daily Veda Parayana and chanting of Arunachala Siva and other hymns and meditation and study at this new centre.
May Sri Bhagavan’s unfailing grace constantly guide and bless all that flock to this Shrine of Grace, dedicated to the Master!
[1] Lex has been mentioned in the
Mar/Apr 1996 –
Lex Hixon
Sep/Oct 2000 –
Sri Arunachala Ramana Mandiram
[1] and
Nov/Dec 2018 –
The History of Arunachala Ashrama
[1] issues
of
'The Maharshi'
and the history of the Ashrama that Dennis put together.
[2] An announcement about this was prominently made in our April 1975 issue, p. 124.