April 1983
Siva Lingam Consecrated In Edmonton, Canada
Murugan, Jai
Maha Sivaratri Saivism's most
auspicious night, culminated a series of events which blessed the growth
of Saivism in Edmonton with the consecration of a Siva Lingam for
community worship.
In November of 1982, the Maha Ganapati Society
of Alberta had decided to purchase a puja at a major South Indian temple
to bless the Society's proposed temple project. It was decided to have
this puja done at holy Chidambaram.
Coincidentally, Ganga Muruga, a
devotee of Gurudeva, Sivaya Subramuniyaswami, was about to embark on
pilgrimage to India with Saiva Siddhanta Church's 1983 India Odyssey. So,
the Society simply sent their instructions for the puja along with Ganga.
On the full moon night of Thai Pusam at Chidambaram, the puja was done to
Chidambaram's crystal Lingam. Ganga was allowed to go close to the Lingam
for prayer and received prasadam in the form of holy abhishekam water and
vibhuti to bring back with her to Edmonton.
The next day, Gurudeva,
Sivaya Subramuniyaswami, gifted a stone Siva Lingam to the Maha Ganapati
Society to be returned to Edmonton with the following simple but striking
message for the Edmonton community. "You can't have a temple without God
in the temple."
Just one week prior to Maha Sivaratri, the Siva
Lingam arrived in Edmonton. Many long hours were spent that week in
preparing a shrine and abhishekam base in which to temporarily house the
Lingam until it is permanently installed in the proposed
temple.
The Sivaratri celebrations began at 7 P.M. with the
traditional invocation of Maha Ganapati through abhishekam, chanting of
108 names, and puja. The Lingam was placed in its shrine prior to 7 P.M.
by Mr. T. Sivagnanam, Vice President of the Society. The highlight of the
evening was the consecration of the Lingam by using the abhishekam water
from the puja at Chidambaram.
Approximately 100 devotees were
present at the 9 P.M. puja. Most had planned to leave after the midnight
puja, but because of the strong shakti, many were inspired to stay on
throughout the night. Over 20 devotees were present for the final puja at
6 A.M.. Adding an important element of the temple the Society plans to
build (a Ganesha temple modeled after the Kumbalavalai Temple of Alaveddy,
Sri Lanka), Maha Sivaratri activities this year were especially
significant for the small community of sincere Saivites of
Edmonton.
Article copyright Himalayan
Academy.
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