Mahashivaratri at Rameshwaram - A Grand Community Event

Mahashivaratri is a very important observance in the Hindu calendar and occurred on Feb 15. It is believed that those who fast and offer prayers to Lord Shiva on this auspicious night (the new moon night in the month of Maagha) will be blessed. At Rameshwaram, the day has special significance since Lord Shiva is the presiding deity at the temple. The occasion was celebrated in grand fashion with puja, cultural events and homam throughout the day - a truly inclusive community event.

The celebrations began in the morning at 7 am with a detailed Mahanyaasam - an elaborate Vedic purification ritual to cleanse the body, mind and soul before chanting the Sri Rudram. Knowledgeable ritviks from CMLA and the community undertook the chanting in the puja room with a kalasham (sacred pot symbolizing abundance and wisdom) at the center as focal point. Their unflagging chanting with precise intonation filled the room with a dynamic energy. The ceremony then continued at the upstairs auditorium with a Rudra Homam, with the well-attended hall at full capacity. The morning pujas concluded at around noon with the ritviks making offerings to the deity, lead by Swami Ishwarananda and Sandhyaji.

Lord Shiva is considered to be the King of Dance, and fittingly, the afternoon celebrations began at 4:30 pm with a cultural program featuring several local dance schools. Rameshwaram's beautiful stage and sound system was well utilized by the students of 8 dance schools, and the elaborate and dynamic dance performances were enjoyed by a capacity audience.  Beginning at 6 pm, attendees were given the opportunity to offer abhishekam of milk at the Shiva lingam placed at the feet of the serene statue of Lord Shiva. The offered milk was collected (food-grade cleanliness was meticulously maintained!) and distributed to departing members, along with fruit offerings.

After the dance program, the Swaranjali group rendered Shiva-themed bhajans, followed by melodious chanting by the Slokanjali group. The junior and senior Shurti groups, consisting of CMLA students, then took to the stage and filled the auditorium with bhajans. 

The focus then shifted to the puja room, where Shyam Balasubramaniam offered bhajans. This was followed by Shiva puja until midnight. Towards the end, the auditorium was darkened and a resonating chant of "Om Nama Shivaya" by Swami Ishwarananda filled the atmosphere with a powerful serenity. Finally, aarati with a deepam tower in the darkened hall brought a meditative end to the festivities.

Here are videos of the entire festivities.