The newly formed Shirdi Saibaba Temple of NZ Inc will mark Guru Purnima at the Mahatma Gandhi Centre (145 New North Road), Eden Terrace in Auckland on July 24, from 630 am.
Organisation Secretary Ravi Chittajallu said Ganapathi Homam (715 am), Abhishekam for Shirdi Sai Baba (930 am) and Sai Satya Katha (1030 am) would be among the main events in the morning.
“Madhyan will be celebrated around Midday, while the evening function will include Dhoop Aarti (530 pm), Bhajans (6 pm), Palki Seva (7 pm) and Mahaprasad.
“Our day-long festival would be a reflection of the three-day event held at Shirdi in India commencing on July 24, with Palki Seva and other activities,” he said.
He said disciples and devotees honour, felicitate their Gurus, and seek their blessings on Guru Purnima Day.
“It is of great importance in Shirdi, perhaps because it is the only festival which Baba asked us to celebrate. The festival originated in the Buddha’s time when the monks used to take ‘diksha’ (instructions on their spiritual practice) at the beginning of the rainy season. The practice was then borrowed by the Jain tradition and later the Hindus,” he said, quoting a source.
Further information can be obtained from Ravi Chittajallu on (09) 8453239.
Email: secretary@saibabatemple.org.nz
