Vikram goes to the temple!

 

 

Vikram goes to the temple.

1. Three year old Vikram walks to the temple every day morning holding his grandfather’s hand.  He always looks handsome in his outfit, fresh after his morning bath.
2. The temple is just a few houses away at the end of the street. Devotees come from the neighbourhoods to pray at this temple.
3. Vikram and his grandfather buy sweet smelling jasmine flowers and an archana basket from the flower vendor. Can you identify all the items in the archana basket?
4. They leave the slippers at the entrance of the temple and go wash their feet in the tap water. Vikram likes the feeling of the cool water on his feet.
5. He runs to the first altar, that of Lord Ganesha. He is the son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvathi. He is the remover of all obstacles in life.
6. He knocks on his temples with his knuckles as taught by his grandfather. He then does a few sit-ups (thoppukaranam). Both these actions make the brain cells active and increase the power of the brain.
7. The priest does archana to Lord Ganesha by chanting the hundred and eight names of the Lord. He then breaks the coconut and offers it to God along with the bananas. He decorates the idol with flowers and moves the lamp in a circular motion around the idol.
   
8. The priest then hands over the “prasadham,” that is the coconut and bananas offered to God, to Vikram’s grandfather. He gives “Vibhuti” or holy ash to all those standing there and praying.
9. Vikram and his grandfather then visit all the other altars in the temple, and pray to all the different Gods. Can you identify these Gods?
   1. Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvathi
   2. Lord Subramanya, the brother of Lord Ganesha
   3. Anjaneya
   4. Maha Vishnu as Ranganathar
   5. Goddess Lakshmi
10. After praying to each deity, Vikram and his grandfather do ‘Pradakshanam’, which is walking around each altar with reverence
11. Now Vikram and his grandfather sit for a few minutes in silence on the stone seats in the temple. It is important to always sit in silence for a few minutes before leaving the temple.
12. Vikram notices a temple volunteer distributing “prasadham”, which is “sundal” (cooked beans) that day. Vikram loves to eat “prasadham” and gets his share.
13. Everyone in the temple loves Vikram as he is very cheerful like a ray of sunlight. As they walk out of the temple the flower vendor gives him a red rose which he accepts with a smile and carries it home.

 

Photo credits:

http://blogs.nationalgeographic.com/blogs/intelligenttravel/2008/03/global-eye-batu-caves-malaysia.html

http://blogs.nationalgeographic.com/blogs/intelligenttravel/2008/03/global-eye-batu-caves-malaysia.html

http://wodumedia.com/diwali-the-festival-of-lights/a-girl-lights-earthen-lamps-in-a-formation-to-form-the-shape-of-hindu-god-ganesh-the-deity-of-prosperity-on-the-eve-of