Today’s Edition:
Front Page
Campus
City
Sports
MS&U
Opinion
Classified
Site Directory:
Archives
Comics
Crossword
In Translation
Multimedia
Reader Forums
Scholarship
Subscribe
Weather
|
Thursday, June 11, 1998 |
Cultural gala
Ceremony to invoke life into temple
| |
| The State News • RACHANEE THERAKULSATHIT | |
|
Members of the Kala Niketan group of Lansing rehearse a folk dance Wednesday at the Bharatiya Temple, 955 Haslett Road in Haslett. The group is scheduled to perform Friday at the Wharton Center as part of the Bharatiya Temple’s cultural program this weekend.
|
By STEPHANIE K. BOST
State News Staff Writer
Indian culture will be brought to light as an area temple is brought to life.
The Bharatiya Temple, 955 Haslett Road in Haslett, will celebrate Prana Pratishthapana, or “instillation of life” today through Sunday.
“It will be a very occasion,” said C. A. Reddy, chairperson of the event’s coordinating committee. “It will be a mix of strong religious events and culture with eating, dancing and art.”
The five-day ceremony, performed only once in a temple’s lifetime, invokes life into the temple and its deities. The Bharatiya Temple was built in 1994 and is the only one in the Lansing area. It has taken four years for members to organize and raise funds for the Priests and congregation members circled the temple Wednesday, donning traditional Indian dress and carrying fruits, flowers and seeds as part of the preliminary ceremonies for Prana Pratishthapana. Each item holds symbolism in the ceremony, Trivedi said. Two Indian priests, B. Kannan Balasubrahmaniam and Vedmurti Sandip Shastri Kapase traveled to Michigan to prepare for and perform the 4,000-year-old ceremonies. Priests chanted hymns in Sanskrit, an ancient language used primarily in religious ceremonies. Their chanting was quickly repeated by members of the congregation.
Temple members stress that this may be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for mid-Michigan residents to take part in the ceremony. “Consecration ceremonies are very rare in this area. Most temples that are here have been here for quite some time,” said Pratin Trivedi, a temple member and Okemos resident. “This may be the only chance for mid-Michigan Hindus to take part in rituals and celebrations of this magnitude.” Festivities will be held at the temple and at MSU. Events will range from devotional singing and dancing to religious ceremonies. Some of the dances included in the celebration are traditionally performed in the temple, Trivedi said. But in an attempt to make the performances accessible for the public, they will be performed at MSU’s Wharton Center on the Festival Stage. “This is a great opportunity for people to witness traditional Hindu rituals,” Trivedi said. “The atmosphere is very colorful and visually appealing.” Tents housing Indian food and art will cover the temple grounds throughout the celebration. Prana Pratishthapana coordinators planned the weekend in hopes that the public would attend and learn more about Hinduism, Reddy said. “According to Hinduism we respect all religions as equal,” he said. “We encourage people to visit this weekend to learn more about our religion while we learn about theirs.” The event brings together not only area residents, but seven priests from India and the United States to perform the consecration ceremonies. MSU student Sonal Vaghela said she wouldn’t miss the chance to meet and worship with friends. “It’s not every day that you can completely express your culture and dress in traditional clothing,” the elementary education sophomore said. “It’s a chance for everyone to see how Indian people pray and worship.”
The State News • RACHANEE THERAKULSATHIT
Incense burns as priests conduct a ceremony for the deities of the Bharatiya Temple. The five-day celebration includes religious ceremonies, spiritual discourses and cultural programs.
Other related sites:
These sites are not part of statenews.com and will open in a new browser window.
All content © 1998 The State News