November 5, 2006
Lansdale, PA
As
the sun rose on Sunday, November 5, 2006, local devotees eagerly
began entering the mandir complex and were taken by astonishment
at the beautifully decorated mandir which seemed like an unfathomable
dream 25 years ago.
Divine
spirit filled the air with the chanting of Vedic mantras as
Vishavashanti Mahapuja and Murti Pratishtha rituals took place.
Pujya Kothari Swami and santos consecrated the murtis of Bhagwan
Swaminarayan and Aksharbrahma Gunatitanand Swami, Shri Radha-Krishna
Dev, Guru Parampara, Shri Sita-Ram and Hanumanji, and Shri
Shiv-Parvati and Ganeshji. After the mandir's first arti,
Pujya Kothari Swami, pujya santos, and honorable guests addressed
the audience. Michael DiNunzio, the Mayor of Lansdale for
the past 26 years said, "When I saw Pramukh Swami Maharaj
in 2003, I told him that I wanted a temple like Edison's in
Lansdale, and now 3 years later, this has become a reality
and I love you all for that."
Finally,
guests enjoyed an annakut of vegetarian food items prepared
by the women's wing and offered to the newly consecrated murtis.
On the day before the murti-pratishtha, the mahila mandal
participated in a mahila satsang program and kalaash yatra.
On that evening, the attendees watched a cultural program
put together by the youths that included a kirtan aradhana,
a dance performance, and an enlightening speech by Pujya Kothari
Swami. A team of nearly twenty volunteers worked day and night
to make this event a reality.
Photo
gallery
