Hindu temple consecrating 4 deities in 3-day ritual

Three days of ancient rituals come to Maha Ganapati Temple of Arizona near Maricopa May 8-10.

The Hindu temple is consecrating four Hindu deities – Rama, Sita, Lakshmana and Hanuman. More than 5,000 devotees are expected to attend.

The ceremonies (Murti Prana Prathistapana Kumbhabhishekam) include a commemoration of two new shrines for Hanuman and Rama Parivar.

The temple is south of Maricopa at 51293 W. Teel Road.

Maha Kumbhabhishekam is performed “for the welfare of the community, to ensure abundant peace, prosperity and to bestow the well-being of one’s progeny.”

Rajan Zed, president of the Universal Society of Hinduism, said it was important to pass on spirituality and traditions to the next generation. Whether simple or elaborate like Maha Kumbhabhishekam, the Hindu ceremonies can re-link participants to family, culture and self in an age of distractions and consumerism.

The three days will include Sita Rama Kalyana Utsav, Ganapati Puja, Viswakshena Puja, Swasti Punyaha Vachanam, homams, adhivasam, netronmeelanam, ashtabandhana, samphada aadhya lepanam and more.
 
After the cow puja (worship), the cow will be led into the temple in a ceremonial procession.

Sita Rama Kalyanam is the wedding ceremony of Hindu deities Rama and Sita. It is performed by 1,000 devotees.

There will also be processions and a puja ceremony exclusively by women.

Maha Ganapati Temple was incorporated as a nonprofit in 2000. From 2002 to 2007, it was in a double-wide trailer on the Maricopa property donated by the Gunnala family. By spring 2008, the 7,600-squre-foot temple hall, the parking lot and several shrines were complete.

In phase four, the 26-foot-tall vimanas went up on the building, making the new temple a unique visual presence south of Papago Road.

The May 8-10 ceremonies are part of phase five and the beginning of the Raja Gopuram Project stretching into 2017.