Livermore California Ayyappa Mandala Puja - Part 1

LORD AYYAPPA, the presiding supreme deity of Sabari Hills is worshipped by millions of devotees. Worshipping Lord Ayyappa brings contentment, spiritual upliftment, prosperity and fulfillment of devotees' desires and wishes. The months of Kaartika / Vrishchika, Maargazhi / Dhanur are most auspicious for Lord Ayyappa, during which period Mandala Puja is celebrated. Devotees observe traditional austerities (vrathams) from the first day of Kaartika / Vrishchikam. Devotees initiate the vratham by wearing a Thulasi or a Rudraksha mala. During vratham, devotees practice absolute cleanliness and celibacy. They abstain from all vices like alcohol, tobacco and non-vegetarian food. They wear black/blue/saffron clothes and pray to Lord Ayyappa daily in the morning and evening after bathing. After 41 days the devotees end their vratham by carrying Irumudi and removing the mala. I am in deep gratitude to all the Devotees from the Shiva-Vishnu Temple in Livermore for their warm welcome to their Temple and for allowing me (an outsider) to film them during this celebration.

Click here to join Ayyappasamaaj: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Ayyappasamaaj/join
This is a partial clip of a work-in-progress editing. More coming soon.

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