Venkat Raman
Auckland, October 7, 2020
A fitting prelude to Festive Season at Papakura Temple in South Auckland
Thousands of devotees of Lord Ganesha who visit the Papakura Temple (located at 4 Dent Place, Red Hill, Papakura) will be pleased to see their favourite God with a Crown specially prepared for Him and donated by an ardent couple based in Auckland.
The Ceremony, with all the religious rites, will be held on Saturday, October 10, 2020 from 930 am. The three-hour programme is considered auspicious since it is held on a Purattasi Saturday.
Long-cherished desire
Since the establishment of the Temple in 2002, the desire of Chief Priest Parameswaran (Chandru), Trustees, volunteers and devotees has to been to instal a Gold Mukut or Kreetam to Lord Ganesha. It has taken 18 years for that dream to be fulfilled.
As per available information, this would be first Temple in the Southern Hemisphere to feature Lord Ganesha with a Gold Crown. Insured and well secured, the Crown will be brought to the Temple only on ceremonial occasions- a few special days in the year.
Series of Firsts
Priest Chandru said that the Festival on Saturday will mark ‘two additional first’ for the Temple and for Lord Ganesha in New Zealand.
“This is the first time that a Deity of Lord Ganesha will be adorned with a Gold Crown. We will perform ‘108 Kalasa Shangabishekam for the first time in our Temple, which also be the first in New Zealand. We have a solemn programme on Saturday, October 10, 2020,” he said.
The Temple also holds the record for having conducted the first 108 Kalasa Abhishekam, 108 idols of Pillayar on Ganesh Chaturthi Day and 108 Sangha Abhishekam.
The Crowning Programme
Following is the ‘Golden Keerida Dharanam’ Programme
930 am: Vigneswara pooja and 108 Kalasa Abhishekam
1015 am: Draviya Abhishekam to Lord Ganesha
1100 am: 108 Kalasa Shangabishekam
1145 am: Nithya Pooja, Purattasi Sani Bhagavan- Lord Venkateswara Pooja
1215 pm: Pooja for New Golden Keerida for Lord Ganesha
1230 pm: Keerida Samarpanam and Pushpa Abhishekam
The Temple will be open until 2 pm to light Sani Bhagavan
6 pm: Saneeswara Santhi Pooja and Abhishekam
About Lord Ganesha Temple
The Lord Ganesh Temple in the South Auckland suburb of Papakura has been growing in popularity over the past few years, attracting thousands of devotees not only from various parts of New Zealand but also from Australia and Fiji. The Temple’s Chief Priest Parameswaran Chandru has been a source of endearment and respect to devotees.
The Temple, which is owned and managed by the Auckland Sri Ganesh Temple Trust, has come a long way since then in fostering piety and the spirit of oneness among the members of the Indian community. Marriages, engagements, birthdays, company, product and other launches, social functions and classic music are among the events held at the Temple.
Anyone could donate any amount (make it decent, please), anytime from anywhere in New Zealand directly to the Auckland Sri Ganesh Temple Trust bank account.
The Temple at Pillayarpatti
A number of our readers had asked us to publish again information relating to ‘Pillayarpatti Karpaga Vinayagar Temple’ in the Tamil Nadu town of Pillayarpatti. In deference to those wishes, we have pleasure in providing the following information.
Rock-cut images
The Karpaga Vinayagar Koil is one of the oldest Cave Temples (Rock Cut) of Tamilnadu, situated at Pillayarpatti between Pudukkottai and Karaikudi.
Pillayarpatti is situated at a distance of 71 kms from Madurai and 12 kms from Karaikudi on Thirupathoor-Karaikudi state highway. As the temple of Lord Vinayagar is situated in this town, it came to be known as Pillayarpatti. The nearest airport is at Tiruchirappalli, Chennai. Rameswaram Express and Kamban Express travel to these two railheads.
The town of Pillayarpatti is named after ‘Pillayar,’ the Tamil name for Ganesha. This ancient temple houses rock cut images of Shiva, Lingodbhavar as well as several other shrines.
Steeped in the tradition of Agamic texts, the temple bears testimony to the vibrant temple culture of the Tamil people, passed down through centuries.
According to some sources, the Pillayarpatti Temple is at least 2000 years old.
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