Festival of Lights Illuminates Rameshwaram

 On Oct 22, the CMLA community assembled at Rameshwarm to celebrate Diwali, the Festival of Lights. This day is also marked by the Gujarati community as New Year, so the celebration also doubled as a New Year revelry.

The stage was decorated in the fashion of a mountain (Govardhana), with prasad offerings brought in by the community forming terraced steps on the slope. There were about 100 offerings of prasad from the community! At the apex of the slope was a beautifully decorated statue of Lord Krishna.

The festivities started with an auspicious Ganesh Puja, followed by a Krishna Puja, with sonorous chanting by Janakiramji from the CMLA Puja group, along with Brahmacharini Sandhya, filling the air with a calm and peaceful vibration. The pujas ended with a chanting of the 108 names of Shri Krishna by all present.

Next, the eagerly awaited Diwali lighting ceremony by the children was conducted. Children decked in Diwali finery filed into the darkened auditorium, the glow of LED lamps held in their cupped hands illuminating their eager faces. The lamps were lined up at the front of the stage.

Mahadevanji then addressed the audience. He retold the story of how Lord Krishna saved the villages from the wrath of Indira by shielding them with Govardhana mountain itself. He explained that prayer and worship should be offered with love, rather than out of fear.

Swami Ishwarananda then greeted the congregation. He reminded us that the purpose of festivals, while bringing people together in celebration, are to help us focus our attention back on the Lord. He gave the message that we should be light hearted and be a light to those around us as we celebrate the Festival of Lights.