Jaya Jaya Sankara Hara Hara Sankara – It is indeed my pleasure and bhagyam to have attended the great Brahmaputhra Pushkaram. In our Bharatha Desam all jeeva nadhis (rivers) are significant and this one probably is rare since it is apparently the only masculine river in our country.
I would like to call out a few points so you get a fair idea of how things are on the ground:
- Travel – If you take a flight from Chennai it takes 3 hrs; by train it takes 3 days.
- Commute – Takes around 45 mins from Guwahathi airport to reach Samath Bhavan where Smt. Mahalakshmi mami and her crew resides. It is pretty much a straight road with not much traffic from airport to this place. Cost around Rs. 600. The commute from this place to Pushkarani is around a 1 km. You can walk down for 20 mins or take an auto or rickshaw for Rs. 100
- Food & Accommodation – Mami has arranged for a 13 member catering service crew from Kumbakonam. They prepare and serve good home made food thrice a days apart from coffee/tea/snacks in the morning and afternoon. You can stay here or in some hotel but I find it better here with bigger space and all devotees here with Mami to help us out as well. All Vaideekas stay here in the various floors as well.
- Crowd – Not much since it is in North East India.
- Weather – Temperatures are a bit low compared to Chennai and it drops down lower during nights. Also it gets dark by around 4.45 PM and we see earlier sun rises in the morning.
- Pushkaram – The key thing in Pushkaram is to do a Sankalapam (Vadhiyars have all been arranged and they are mostly from Tanjore/Kumbakonam) and Snanam. We can do the Sankalpa Snanam after witnessing homam and Poornahuthi (that happens every day for loka kshemam), followed by Swami’s Theerthavari. Evening there is a grand Pushakara Aarthi which is a great sight to witness. We can do all our Nithyakarmas and Japams in the spacious riverside. There are also various cultural programs in the auditorium along with many stalls.
- Nearby Temples – Kamakya Temple, one of the Sakthi Peetams is very popular and must see temple is pretty close-by. Purva Balaji temple which was established by Sri Pudhu Periyava is also not far away.
A thoroughly enjoyable yatra…Mahalakshmi Charitable Trust has spent more than Rs. 1 crore for this grand event. There has been great support from Assam State Government as well as the local Sankara Matam. I don’t have any words to describe Smt. Mahalakshmi Mami and Mama and the kind of work they are doing at this age.
If you want to book your flight tickets and do a quick air dash please do so now…it is more than worth it :-). We still have time till 16th (this Saturday) Rama Rama
Smt. Mahalakshmi Mami Contact Info.:
Shri. V.C. Subramanian & Smt. Mahalakshmi Subramanian
Sri Mahalakshmi Charitable Trust, Flat No. 3, Thulasi Apartments, 11 Kuppusamy Street, T Nagar, Chennai – 600017
Few pictures and video clips below.
Categories: Announcements
I have been attending this Pushskaram. It is really joy giving. At the left side of the river, Sri Nilachal hill stands majestically. The foremost Shakti peetam Sri Kamakhyamba temple is there. In the right side of the river, at the middle, in the peacock island, the Bhairava of Sri Kamakhyamba Sri Umananda temple is situated. Young Deekshithas from Chidambaram Nataraja temple perform daily puja, homam, teerthavari, etc. Main attraction is evening 3 types of arti. First by the Deekshitargal group, second by local youths and third by local Marwari community.
Sri T Prakash of Periyava Illam, a Vedic patasalai in Chennai has also received blessings from Sri Periyava for smooth conduct of the Pushkaram. He is reaching Guwahati with a team of 12 devotees tomorrow. The Pushkaram concludes on the 16th instant.
Purva Tirupati Balaji temple trust co sponsors the Pushkaram with Sri Mahalakshmi Trust of Chennai.
More than a lakh of devotees already tookk part in the pushkaram. Most of them are Telugu devotees from Andhra.
Gigantic daily cultural program is another attraction, different types of local dances, songs are shown. Our Nadaswaram, Bharat natyam , etc are also performed.
Sai, you have mentioned whether Mami charges for food and accommodation or any amount you could afford to pay, etc. Sorry, for benefit of others I am asking! Regards
Mami does not charge anything. It is free for devotees. They can contribute to Sri Mahalakshmi Charitable trust for ancient temples renovation if they wish to, up-to their discretion completely though. Rama Rama