[vc_row][vc_column width=”3/4″][vc_column_text]The Ramakrishna Mission, New Delhi, celebrated the 181th Birthday Tithi Puja of Bhagwan Sri Ramakrishna on Thursday, the 10th March 2016. On the previous day pandals were erected on both the lawns in front of the Temple. Arrangement was made to show the temple programme in the pandal with the help of giant screen LED TV for the benefit of those devotees who could not find place to sit in the temple and witness the Puja, Arati etc.
The day began with Sehnai recital (on audio cassette) at 4.30 a.m. when the gates of the Temple were opened for devotees. At 5.00 a.m. with the blowing of the conch shell, Mangalarati was performed. After mangalarati was over, Vedic chanting was done by monastics. This was followed by Usha Kirtan and all the devotees were filled with high devotional spirit. During Usha kirtan all devotees went on a parikrama of the temple precincts. At about 7.00 a.m. all devotees and volunteers, around 100 in number, were served with Mangalarati prasad as well as breakfast with tea.
The special puja was followed by Homa at 9.45 a.m. This was followed by bhajans and Pushpanjali, when all the devotees with flowers in their hands chanted the pushpanjali mantras on Sri Thakur, Maa and Swamiji. Then the flowers from the hands of all devotees were collected by volunteers and offered at the feet of Sri Sri Thakur.
After Pushpanjali Revered Secretary gave a brief talk on the life and teachings of Sri Ramakrishna from 11.10 to 11.25 a.m. during which time the sanctum sanctorum of the Temple was closed for Bhoga.
After the Bhoga was over and the doors of the sanctum sanctorum were opened, Arati was done. However, as a large number of devotees both inside and outside the Temple were to offer pranams to Sri Sri Thakur, Maa and Swamiji, the Temple was kept open for an hour more and it was finally closed at 12.40 p.m. after all the devotees offered pranams to the Holy Trinity.
Prasad was distributed to about 2000 devotees.
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