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The Kali Devi is conceived as an aspect, a power aspect of Uma or Parvati. She is often personified as dark, violent and valorous. We see her portrayed in her fierce aspect combating Darukasuran, a wicked Asuran, whom she destroys with flames. In this posture, she is seen mounted on a lion, with the attendant flames behind and holding a Trisoolam. According to a boon enjoyed by the Asuran, he cannot be destroyed in battle or combat. So the Kali Devi aspect utilised fire to boon him up. She gets her name Kali from the mode of her creation.

Evidence have been found of the prevalence of reverence to the Devi in ancient times. In fact, it has been said that Shiva and Kali were the most popular deities venerated by the ancient Hindus.

The Sri Maha Kaliamman Temple which is dedicated to Goddess Kali is situated at No 59, Paradise Place (Aarmour Street), Colombo 12. During the rule of the Britishers in Sri Lanka in the 19th century, they named this area as Paradise Place which in fact was considered by the people of the area as a heaven and a place of paradise on account of three important trees namely Palmyrah, Bo-tree and Margosa which grew closely together. This made them to realize that there was indeed a divine power pervading in this area.

It is very often said that “divinity manifests from age to age in the human forms in order to establish Dharma (Righteousness) and to guide all mankind to the Dharmic path. Divinity over the ages has descended on earth in many forms. In fact, Lord Mahavishnu took nine incarnations to establish Dharma to the world.

The manifestation in the form of mother over the ages has been recorded in the scriptures. The mother is the universal embodiment of compassion. She extends her grace to protect and bless her children. God appears in many forms, but to experience God in the form of a mother brings a great deal of peace and joy.

During this period certain sculptors who were brought down from India to do some restoration work at Captain’s Garden Sri Kailasanatha Temple were invited by the devotees of this Paradise Place to erect a “Sakthi Peedam.” Under these trees where Sri Maha Kali Amman, Sri Munneswarar and several statues of Gods were placed and thereafter a consecration ceremony was successfully conducted and poojas and annual festivals were conducted to the greatest satisfaction of the devotees. Besides, with the view to accommodate the devotees, a hall was constructed in 1990 in the adjoining area.

The compassion of the divine mother gives us the benevolence of five elements such as earth, water, fire, wind and space to help us to lead an excellent life. Further, pooja is a way of love showing our love and affection for the divine which provides these resources in abundance to us.

When individuals perform poojas, it is done with the aim of gaining the blessings of the divine for the betterment of their lives, but Dr M Nallathamby who is the chief trustee and chief executive of Sri Maha Kaliamman Temple is rendering tremendous divine service and he has taken all possible steps to make this temple a popular one in the city of Colombo.

Furthermore, Dr Nallathamby is ably assisted by D Eeswaran, Chief Trustee of Varatharajah Vinayagar Temple at Kotahena and “Deshamanya” K Duraisamy Chairman of Ranjana group of companies and Chief Trustee of Venkateswarar Maha Vishnu Temple, Modera, Colombo 15.

Recently, a CD was released by the Chief Trustee of the Temple Dr M Nallathamby depicting the glories of Sri Maha Kali of this temple at Brighten Hotel, Messenger street where prominent personalities participated.

Dr Nallathamby was instrumental in getting the support and co-operation of the devotees of this temple to get down several statues from Tamil Nadu along with the renowned Indian sculptor V Nagalingam to construct a beautiful temple at this place. On February 10, 1993, with this tremendous support of Brahmasri Swamy Visvanatha Kurukal of Navaliyoor, the “Paalasthapanam” was conducted and on February 9, 1996, Maha Kumbabeshakam was successfully held.

In 2009, the Chief Trustee Dr M Nallathamby and several members of the restoration society got together and laid the foundation stone for the construction of a new building at this temple.

The Chief Trustee of Varatha Raja Vinayagar Temple and President of the Colombo Kambankalagam and councillor for Mauritius in Sri Lanka D Eeswaran also participated. The poojas and all other ceremonies in connection with this foundation stone laying ceremony was performed by Sri La Sri Vishva Venkada Subramaniya Kurukal and was attended by the Temple Restoration society president S Ramalingam and Assistant Secretary of the Restoration society M Vasudevan.

Indeed, the Chief Priest of this temple “Siva Sri” K Suseenthira Kumara Kurukal is performing all the poojas and rituals according to Agamas and at the stipulated time to the greater satisfaction of the devotees.

Dr Nallathamby who is the Chief Trustee of this temple has taken all possible steps to complete this temple construction work before March next year and planning to have the Maha Kumbabhishekam by March 25, 2012. As such, let us pray to Sri Maha Kali Amman at Paradise Place, Armour Street and receive Her Divine Blessings.

Twenty one day fast for Lord Ganesha

This is an important fast observed by Hindus in Vinayagar temple. In fact every Hindu temple has a Sanctum dedicated to Lord Ganesha. Hindus bow their heads in reverence and make their first offering to Lord Ganesha in all ritualistic worship. Be it pilgrimage, wedding, yagam or house warming Lord Ganesha is the first deity to be worshipped at the beginning of any ceremony.

Vinayagar, Ganapathy, wigneswarar and Pillaiyar are some of the common appellations given to Lord Ganesha, the God with elephant head. The supreme Brahma Lord of the universe is beyond sex. He is both man and animal. Lord Ganesha has a form which signifiers this fact, with the limbs of man and the face of an animal.

Lord Ganesha is elephant faced and it is proverbially the most intelligent among mammals. The head consequently represent Divine Gnana. Moreover, elephant is a vegetarian animal and this indicates pure Sathnic nature. The broad head also signifies that God is broadminded, tolerant and sympathetic to all activities. The bulky body stands for the cosmos in its entirety. The huge pot-belly signifies containing all things and beings of the world. The Lord Ganesha has a snake which indicates energy in all forms. The idea contained in the concept is that all things have their allotted place in the womb of nature and they are all supported by cosmic energy.

The trunk represents the sensitive reception of stimuli and cognition. It also signifies the faculty of discrimination. Further, he is single tushed. The broken tusk signifies that he has broken away from ignorance, which guids the path of God. The tusk which the Lord of wisdom deliberately broke while uniting the great epic Mahabharatha which goes to explain that no sacrifice is too great for a noble cause and the resourceful knows no impediment. The single task also denotes single-mindedness in action. The other tusk indicates highest knowledge.

Lord Ganesha's broad ear signify that he hears everything communicated to him. They indicate omniscience. The three eyes of Lord Ganesha represent the moon, the sun and fire which in turn indicates the three phases of Creation, Sustenance and destruction. The third eye is a symbol of intuitive knowledge. He has four hands which signify super natural powers. In one hand he holds a “Paasa” or “rein” which represents the creative and sustaining faculty.

The Paasa also indicates that Lord Ganesha uses this rain to attract the minds of the devotees so as to direct them on the right path to reach God. In his left hand he holds an “Ankusa” or the whip which devotes the destructive phase of cosmos. The spear-like weapon also indicates that Lord Ganesha uses it to destroy ignorance in his devotees. The third hand holds a dish of Modhaka (a globular sweet meat). This signifies that he distributes the consequences according to the actions of the Jeevas. The Modhaka also symbolizes the fullness of Brahman. Lord Ganesha riding on the mouse shows that he keeps the evil passions always under check.

In fact, the twenty one day fast observed by Hindus in Vinayagar temple with devotion removes all our obstacles and impediments. Indeed, we the people living in this Kaliyuga hope and pray that Lord Ganesha showers His universal love and compassion, so that we may be bathed by His Divine glory and spiritual splendors to overcome the present agony and acquire spiritual attainments, peace and happiness.

Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s 86th birth anniversary

Swami Sri Sathya Sai Baba who was living amongst us as a divine incarnation in human form attained Samadhi on April 24 2011 at Puttarpathi. This tragedy left all the Sai devotees living in the whole world in a deep sorrow. Devotees still continue to pray Him as if He is still living amongst them as a guide, as an advisor, as a preacher, as a guru, and as a divine soul because the thought that Swami after being amongst us now has reached His highest and constant abode called Lord’s Supreme Abode.

The eightfold glory of the Lord has to be deeply meditated on, daily so that the mind and intellect be cast permanently in that Divine mould. The eight super mundane distinctions of Swami are—

He is Sarvasya Dhata- the support of all (as the ocean is the support of the waves that have come out of it so is Swami the support of the universe which He proved by developing a village called Puttaparthi in Andra Pradesh, in India like a Brindavan with Superspeciality hospitals, water project to about 700 villages, schools and universities )

He is Acintyarupa- incomprehensible to the unrefined mind. He is inaccessible to the mind, intellect and the senses.

He is Adityavarna- is the effulgence of the sun which is ever the same and never hidden by clouds.

He is Tamasah parastat- is supremely above the darkness of ignorance exactly as the sun is not affected by a patch of cloud seeming to hide it.

Devotees were terribly in shock on April 24 as all expected Swami to live for many more years to come. Swami has written so many books on various topics such as Vedas, Upanishads, comments on Bagavad Gita, ancient scriptures, sacred texts, Mantras, The Soul or Atma, about other religions and about how to lead a life without jealousy, hatred, envy, anger, violence, greediness, ceiling on desires but always stressed on sacrifice, charity, volunteer work, on meditation and two of His best sayings were—hurt never, help ever and unity in diversity. Swami always stress about the “Mind”of the human beings. He says that “Mind loses its innate purity to the extent it contacts objects through the senses.

Suspend the senses and rest the mind in the Self is the only means to reclaim it to its original state. Mind has to be purified by repeatedly merging it in the self and beware don’t allow it to be a –monkey mind”. Swami also stressed on a simple prayer, ie “I am Siva, I am God, I am peace itself, I am love ,I am ananda and pure bliss without end”. Swami always make it a point to celebrate Buddhist, Hindu, Christian and Muslim festivals annually at Puttarpathi which go to show that He has no specific religion, and all religions are the same, and God is One.

Now all His devotees waiting patiently for His reappearance as Prema Sai which our dear Swami should make it Real in near future. Until then let us pray thus—

Swami You know the hold! Until I get the gift I wont leave the grasp. I prayed for something good , You over heard it. I will be praying without stopping until I get the boon and even after foe ever,I asked for something in my heart ,You know it Swami, I wont leave You until You answer my need ,whatever I like, You know them all. I will not desert before You plan. At my persistence You may yield at last. In my despair I may gain in the end. I will ask either this or that but never give You up half way Swami!!!. SaiRam!!!

The annual “Ther” Chariot of the Arulmigu Sri Selva Vinayagar Moorthy Kovil Navakelanipura (Tamil Nadu) Wellampitiya was held this year with the participation
of thousands of devotees. Here the chariot being taken in procession from the kovil premises. Pic A. Maduraveeran

A CD extolling the glories of Sri Maha Kali Amman of Paradise Place, Colombo was released recently presided over by Dr M Nallathamby, Chief Trustee of the temple. D Easwaran, ‘Deshamaniya’ Duraisamy and Dr Nallathamby presenting CD to the owner of the Hotel Brighton K Selvarajah.

Miraculous power of Maha Kali

Twenty one day fast for Lord Ganesha

Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s 86th birth anniversary