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On the Saturday
evening that I visited this temple, members of the community were celebrating
graduations with a dinner. When the time for the ritual arrived,
a leader made an announcement, and then most of the people present (about
100 people) stepped onto a large platform at one end of the hall, males
on the left side, females on the right. The back portion of the platform
was separated from the rest and contained the sculpted images of Venkateswara,
Shiva, Rama-Sita-Lakshman, Ganesh, Krishna-Radha, Kali, Mahavir Jain, and
a Shivlingam. While the group chanted in unison, various members
waved lamps before the images. At the conclusion of the chanting,
the participants passed their hands over the flames of the lamps and brought
their hands up to their face, thus receiving the sanctified flame as a
divine blessing. Some also circumambulated the image area.
Several teenagers passed out grapes, banana sections, and rock candy as
prasad, gifts given to the deities and returned to the devotees
as a gracious act of the deity. In the foyer, a sign asked people
to volunteer to lead the chanting and provide prasad for particular
evenings.
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permission.
Last updated by Steven Ramey
4 March 1999