Journal O Ram

A highly spiritual day.

Happy Vinayakachavithi!

Wednesday, September 3rd, 2008 is a day filled with high spiritual rituals and has been intensely satisfying "వినాయక చవితి" auspicious day for me.

• Offered 40 times Ganesha Ashtakam to Lord Sri Maha Ganapathi at home
• Offered Jaggery, couple of bananas, an apple and an orange as phalahaaram naivedyam
• Prepared Gulab Jamoons and offered to Lord Ganesh as an alternative to "Undralla" Prasadam
• Have offered a New White Shirt and PMBOK book to seek blessings of Lord Ganesh

It is a great feeling, actually I was not sure if after my studies, I have continued to place books at Lord Vigneshwara during Vinayaka Chavithi. Today, it struck my mind and I thought of making it a point for Srimaye to seek Lord Maha Ganapathi's blessings by placing books during Vinayaka Chavithi.

I listened to all the Ganesha songs I have in my devotional collection. It is almost 11 hours of non stop devotional music on Lord Maha Ganapthi. I am amazed by the collection and the wonderful rendering of various artists. The best part it covers most of Lord Ganesha Stotrams, to name a few.

• Vaakunda Nalla Manunda..... Prabho Ganapathe song by OS Arun from the album Divine Classic of OS Arun
• Mudakaratma Modakam by MS Subbalakshmi in album series, Balaji Pancharatna Mala
• Ganesha the great album by Times Music
• Vishwa Vinayaka album by Times Music redered by Shankar Mahadevan and SPB.
• Ganapathi by various artists
• Vinayaka Chavithi, Old classic film in Telugu
• Vaatapi Ganapathim song clasical rendition by Yesu Das and many many more.
  

My very very favorites at all times are:
Ganesha Pancha Ratnam (Mudakaratma Modakam) rendered by MS Subbalakshmi.
Vaakunda Nalla Manunda rendered by OS Arun.
Gananayakaya Gana Daivataaya by Shankar Mahadevan
Vaataapi Gana Varthimpaje by Ghantasaala in Vinyaka Chavithi telugu movie.
Vaatapi Gana Varthimpaje rendition in classical style by Yesudas

My divine experiences with Lord Ganesha in my life.

• I had a dream sometime ago. The dream was while I was working in Hyderabad, if I remember correctly. It was like this. In the dream I was a kid maybe studying 1st standard in school. I was at the entrance gate of our Lalitha Nagar home where, we lived in a rented house for some time. I still remember the fond memories in that house. And diagonally opposite to the house, there was a Ganapathi temple. The speciality of this temple is that the entrance of the temple is like an elephant head. I was really fascinated by watching it as a kid and really used to feel some vibrations while I walk through the entrance, the mouth of the elephant into the temple. Coming back to the dream, in the dream it was a Vinayaka Chavithi day. I was a kid standing at the entrance gate of the compound of my house. Then I saw Lord Ganesh beautifullly dressed in "Peetambaram" yellow dress, with a pink colored "khanduva" adorned with jewels, golden crown and in all divine glory. It was a situation as if Lord Ganesha is visiting all homes in which, people are worshipping him. Then I immediately, ran across the road and caught The Lord's hand by his two fingers with both of my hands. The he looked at me and I told him "మా ఇంటికి రండి.... అదే మా ఇల్లు..." With a very pleasant smile Lord Ganesha walked with me towards my home. I was amazed by this dream and cherish it all my lifetime. And I always look forward for such wonderful dreams.
  
  
  
• Another important experience of Lord Ganesha was, when I was studying my degree. During 1992-1995 and onwards. During this period, Sri Varasiddhi Vinayaka Temple was newly built near Eenadu. This is less than 4 minutes walk from my home in Vizag. So, I used to go to this Sri Varasiddhi Vinayaka temple every day in the evening and spend very personal time with Lord Ganesha. As the temple was newly built, it was quite and very peaceful. The Lords Ganesha's idol is also very cute and I have a very friendly relation with this Lord. So, it used to be like visiting a friend every day in the evening. There is not a day when that goes without going to this temple, when I was in Vizag. As the temple was very new, there were not many people who used to visit the temple. This was to my advantage and that was one of the very reason that it have given me a very very personal feeling of My Lord Ganesha. Even the temple "Archaka" was new and young man that time. So, he eventually became a good friend of mine and used to offer Haarathi to the Lord Ganesha daily when I go. During those days, I used to speak of anything and everything with Lord Ganesha. Sometimes I used to sit for almost an hour before Lord Ganesha. Specially, during summers when there is powercut, I used to go to the temple and sit there before the God. During this time the temple is normally with very very few people. At the same time, The Beauty of the Darshan of Lord Ganesha at this time was really mind blowing. I can even to this day, close my eyes and recollect the Darshan images of Sri Varasiddhi Vinaya Swamy. As it was powercut time in the evening, most of the places were dark or with minimum lighting. The temple has "deepams" lightes in the santum alone and rest of the surroundings are dark. So, there is only one thing which you can see, and that is Lord Varasiddhi Vinayaka. The Lord by then has completed the evening Abhishekam and is in a very casual and simple decoration with a white cloth, white lillies, nicely decorated Naamam, flowers on his trunk, a Silver "keereetam", few flowers around the idol, a broken coconut, a couple of bananas, Pooja bell, Incense sticks giving nice perfume to Lord. This Darshan is my favourite, because there is no other distraction in your mind. All the surroundings are dark as you cannot see anything even if you want to see and hence no distraction. All one can see is Lord Sri Varasiddhi Vinayaka in the small Deepam. It is such a focused attention that one gains, it almost is like one is in meditation. Most importantly, with very few people or no one around in the temple at that time, it used to be a very personal and very very pleasant Darshan of Lord Ganesh. The connection with Lord Ganesha was very intense and it gave a great delight and personal satisfaction. The toughest times seemed to be very easy after a conversation with Lord Ganesha. Like this I continued to visit the temple during my B.Com and MBA days. If there were any days in which, I could not make it to the temple while it was open, I used to make sure even if it is late in the night that I go to the temple and offer my prayers to Varasiddhi Vigneshwara from outside. One good thing about this temple is that the temple gates are Iron Grill gates, so I was fortunate to get darshan of Sri Varasiddhi Vinayaka Swamy temple even if the temple was closed. During my MBA study days, I remember my friends used to wait for me outside of the temple for a long time. Later, they started waiting at my home as that was convenient for them and it also gives me the time I require for myself. After certain days, it became a ritual for me to go via the temple for anything and everything. If I go to college, movie, travel, exam or where ever I go, I used to drive by the temple and go. I used to get the "Abhiskeam" performed to Lord Ganesha. The Archaka who was there used to really perform a very elaborate "Abhiskeham" and it was very satisfying pooja. Initally, the "Archaka" used to perform Sahasra Naamam, Abhishekam and any special pooja very elaborately without any rush or hurry. The New Year pooja used to be very very beautiful. I remember getting the New Year Special pooja performed in 1996. It was a great delight for me and a very memorable New Year Midnight Pooja. A really wonderful and memorable experience. It was rare to get such opportunity. As years passed by, lot of people have astounding faith in Lord Varasiddhi Vinayaka Swamy and the temple gathered lot of crowds. The "Archaka" too started to shorten and rush the poojas. It was a bit commercialized for maintainence of the temple and improving it. And I have moved out of Vizag in the later years. So, now I make sure, I visit Lord Ganesha temple and perform pooja whenever I visit Vizag. Lord Varasiddhi Vinayak is like my best friend. He is always with me. So, I keep Sri VaraSiddhi Vinayaka Swamy photo at my office desk whereever I work or go. Even today while I am writing this, Lord Varasiddhi Vinayak Swamy photo is on the Corner table lamp in my home here in USA. Lord Ganasha has accompanied me at all times from the time I got His darshan first time in Vizag. I am very thankful to Lord Ganesh and Pray for His Blessing to be showered upon me at all times. I offer my prostration at His Divine feet.
  "శ్రీ వరసిద్ధి వినాయక స్వామి వారి పాదములకు శతకోటి అభివందనములు"
  
  
  I am fortunate to have a picture of the Lord saved with me, which I have taken in 2000. For those who would like to take the Darshan of Lord Sri Varasiddhi Vinayaka Swamy you can get it right here. The same picture is on top of the page too.
  
  
  
  
  

• Lord Maha Ganapathi at the entrance of Puttaparthi Prashanti Nilayam is one idol of Lord in which I have very divine experience. My belief, trust and faith is always highest at Lord Maha Ganapathi in Puttaparthi for my unbelieveable experience time and again. I heard from one of Sathya Sai Baba devotees, that if one wishes anything and perform 40 pradakshinalu (ప్రదక్షణలు) . There are several times I wished for many things and peformed pradakshinalu (ప్రదక్షణలు) and every time all my wishes got fulfilled. I have immense faith in Lord Maha Ganapathi at Puttaparthi. Specially, because of Sai Baba Darshan and Paada Namaskaaram which I got on Jan 11th, My birthday, in the year 1996 on the sports day of Sai Educational institutes. It was a very memorable and divine experience, which, I will write during my divine experiences with "Sai Baba."
  
  

• During my stay in Chennai, every monday evening I used to visit Kapaleeshwar Temple in Mylapore. I used to offer a coconut to Ganesha. In Chennai, it is very typical style of breaking the coconut at a particular designated place. That too it is not in the Andhra style of breaking the coconut. In Chennai, the coconut is banged hard to the floor. The harder one hits, the more pieces it breaks into. So, I used to hit it real hard and sometimes my hand used to ache. Sometime the coconut hits the ground on the tail said and it not even used to crack interestingly. So, I had to hit it again. The point is that, I used to offer coconut every Monday evening at Kapaleeswar temple to Lord Maha Ganapathi and I used to sit in the temple and mediate for few minutes.
  
  
• During my stay in Singapore in 2003, I used to live in Tangling Halt in a paying guest accommodation. In that very apartment complex vicinity, there was a big and very famous Maha Ganapathi temple. I used to visit this temple during weekends. It is a very delightful and eventful temple. The archaka at the temple suggested that I offer a coconut to Lord Ganesha every Monday. It will remove any obstacles in my life and it will also conferr blessings of Lord Maha Ganapathi. From then onwards, I offer a coconut to Lord Ganesha on Mondays. This is also the Maha Ganapathi Temple where, I did my "జన్మనైకి ఒక శివరాత్రి" by performing "ఉపవాసం & జాగారం" for the whole day and night of Sivaraatri. Early morning the following day after Siva Raatri, I participated in the 4AM pooja to Maha Ganapathi till 6am. Had the prasadams at the temple and have broken my fasting the following day of Sivaraatri. In chennai I maintained it as a ritual to offer coconut to Lord Ganasha.. After coming to USA, there is a deviation to the ritual for which, I need find a possibile way out.
  
  

There are many many such diving experiences of Lord Vigneshwara at many of the temples and also at home which I cherish and keep them as dear to my heart.

I am just recollecting many of the wonderful Lord Vigneshwara temples which I have visited in my life time. They are:

• Sri Vara Siddhi Vinayaka Swamy Temple near Eenadu in Visakhapatnam
• Sri Sampath Vinayaka Swamy Temple near Uplands in Visakhapatnam
• Sri Vijaya Ganapathi Temple on Akkayyapalem Road in Visakhapatnam
• Sri Vana Vinayaka Swamy Temple near ICWAI bhavan in Visakhapatnam
• Sri Maha Lakshmi Ganapathi Temple in Seethammapeta junction in Visakhapatnam
• Sri Ganapathi Temple near my house in Lalitha Nagar in Visakhapatnam
  
• Sri Siddhi Vinayaka in Kaanipaakam near Tirupathi
  
• Sri Maha Ganapathi in Puttaparthi
  
• Sri Maha Ganapathi Temple in Attapur at Hyderabad
• Sri Maha Ganapathi Temple at Ashta Lakshmi Temple in Hyderabad
  
• Sri Maha Ganapathi Temple near Secunderabad Station in Hyderabad
  
• Sri Vigneshwara Swamy Temple at Kapaleeswara Swamy Temple in Chennai
• Sri Maha Ganapathi in Madhya Kailash in Chennai
• Sri Hanuma Ganapathi (Sakthi & Buddhi) at Madhya Kailash in Chennai.
• Sri Siddhi Vinayaka Temple in Mumbai
• Sri Maha Ganapathi temple in Tangling Halt Road in Singapore
• Sri Maha Vallabha Ganapathi Temple in Flushings in New York city
  
• Sri Maha Ganapthi Vigraham in Satyanarayana Swamy temple in Middle Town Connecticut.
• There are also several very very big Ganapathi Idols which I have seen at Sri Kalahasthi, Sri Sailam, Madhurai, Palani, Thiruvannamalai, Draksharamam, Arasavalli,