CHETAN MAHARAJ

This religious occasion through a ritualist (Maharaj/Pandit) is generally organized and celebrated by any host/s of that family, who want to desire willingly and religiously to get rites performed for emancipation of their ancestors’ souls that passed away. It is also observed and got performed for bringing happiness and peace in a family. This occasion, from the beginning to accomplishment, continues for a week, without any break, except intervals during the continuation from morning to eve. That is why it is called a weekly celebration (Saptaahik Utsav) which is accompanied a choir for musical concert, throughout the occasion.

It is the narration by the ritualist-cum-narrator (Maharaj or Pandit evam Kathakaar) of the Ramayan, an ancient epic attributed to Valmiki preceptor in ancient India i.e. Prachin Bharat, depicting various events happened in the life of Rama—right from the banishment of the throne of Ayodhya and abduction by Ravan, the king of Lanka (Sri Lanka at present) of his wife Sita during the exile for 14 years in the forest and the rescuing her from the captivity of Ravan to the restoration to the throne again. This narration or Katha is so much interesting and enchanting that, people or devotees, who congregate where it is held covering a large area, called Katha-Mandap for listening to it, become religiously and devotionally absorbed, during the 7-day of the occasion tenure. This occasion, held and organized by host/s of any family, is meant for gaining an access to and reaching the final destination in religion for emancipation that may be possible and fruitful, while departing the mundane world.

They are all called Rudra Bhishek, i.e. ceremonially washing or bathing the Ling (i.e. idol of the lord Shiv) with milk and pure water along with 1008 Shiv-Mantra (spells of the lord Shiv) and Rudra Ashthadhyay in Sanskrit language being chanted by a ritualist (Maharaj or Pandit) one by one. These spells are in short enough to chant easily and at end of such spells each, devotees or say participants in this auspicious occasion uniformly and collectively speak uttering “ Aum Namaha Shivay “ i.e we devotees bow to the lord Shiv. It is so enchanting and rhythmic voice jointly uttered in groups that entire surrounding atmosphere transpire creating spiritual effects and makes it sacred. The ablution of this Rudra Abhishek can be celebrated or performed with washed or cleaned Bili-Patra of a tree (leaves of eagle marmaloss tree) sacred to the lord Shiv or lotus-seeds or any grains. This Rudrabhishek can be religiously done and classified into 11 kinds. Performing this Abhishek, it is spiritually said since time immemorial in the Hindu religion, relieves the devotees of any sort of hardships in their mundane or worldly lives and brings spiritual peace. This religious occasion generally comes in-between period of mid-August to mid-September of Georgian calendar. The in-between period is called Shravani month as per the Hindu calendar that follows the movement of the moon. It is much more significant, when it is performed in Shravani month that is a sacred month of the lord Shiv. Yet, this Rudra Abhishek may be observed or performed any day through a year.

It means an oblation (Yagnya) of nine manifestations collectively—prayer, worship, sacrifice, devotion, donation, fasting etc—of fierce deity Durga. Chandi signifies a fierce deity. She is fierce and furious for and against vices or evils. Performing worship or the oblation of Navchandi (Yagnya) to her removes vices or evils from her devotees, not only that but it prevents and removes diseases, sickness or ailments from bodies.

These oblations (Yagnya) are religiously performed by any people or family with the aid of the ritualist (Maharaj/Pandit) for 100 and 1000 godesses, respectively, in order to bring all sorts of religious happiness and peace in a family.

The performance of this oblation to the lord Ganesh is religiously got performed by any person/s or family or business-owner/s or students, through the ritualist (Maharaj/Pandit) for the purpose of riches (Riddhi) and achievements (Siddhi) and progress & prosperity in their lives, education, marriages, launching or establishing of any business, trades, factories, hourse-warming (Vastu of a newly built house), a foundation-pit etc. Therefore, the lord Ganeshji’s idol is initially installed first, along with chanting by the ritualist of spells (Mantra) in Sanskrit language, before launching or beginning any auspicious acts, works, deeds or performances in any spheres of life and business.

This oblation (Yagnya) is done by any person/s or family or any group of persons with the aid and along with the ritualist (Maharaj/Pandit) for progress and enhancement in riches in their lives. Both the words: Kuber and Lakshmi literally mean treasure, money, riches, wealth or affluence and prosperity from goddess of riches i.e. Lakshmiji that is called Maha Lakshmi because the riches is most significant in everybody’s quotidian mundane life (i.e. Sansarik Jivan) Therefore, Kuber-Pooja or Yagnya can be got performed on any day throughout a year. And likewise, Lakshmi-Poojan on every Deepawali/Diwali (festival of lights) is religiously and with ardent faith got performed with the aid of the ritualist (Maharaj), by every business owner, merchant, trader, family-member or institution or organization or field that is basically root or core factor for one’s income. The Deepawali/Diwali takes place on the Hindu calendar date: Aaso Vad Amaas i.e. Deepawali-day during the corresponding month of October in every year or November when there is one Addhik Maas (called Purushotam Maas)—an additional month—in the Hindu calendar. Even otherwise, anybody can get performed Kuber Yagnya and Maha Lakshmi Yagnya on any auspicious day throughout the year.

The rites got performed religiously by the ritualist’s ritual attempts for abolishment of adverse effects on the fate of one’s life-long, by virtue of the influence of a fault (Dosh), caused by a celestial situation resulting from the existence or position or being of Rahu (the ascending node considered as one of the nine planets) & Ketu (the descending node considered as the ninth planet) in between of which of the two, all other remaining planets take their position at a time, when a person is born, is called Kaal Sarp Dosh Vidhi, as per one of the doctrines of the Astrology. This Kaal Sarp Dosh affects adversely and thereby causes many troubles, difficulties or hardships to any persons, if born under such an influence of it and they have to suffer and face various problems in the life. Therefore, any one born with and under such an influence may religiously get performed rites relating to this Kaal Sarp Dosh Vidhi, through the ritualist (Maharaj/Pandit), for removal of such fault (Dosh) and it is a must to get absorbed and diminished the effects of the Kaal Sarp Dosh, through the performance of the rites.

Before getting or raising any constructions built on any land/s for the purpose of homes, factories, hospitals or any other industries or structures, it is religiously quite inevitable to get consecrated the land/s or a piece of land, upon which such constructions or structures have to be raised or built, through the performance by the ritualist and owner/s of the land/s of rites relating to the consecration of such land/s, with the aid and religious services of the ritualist, in order to remove the evil elements or adverse and bad aura attached with such land/s. And religiously, such lands become hallowed ones and there is no bar or no any hurdle is appeared set in. By and through such a performance of the rites of consecration, it is our prayer to the land-goddess to pardon us for pain and suffering endured by her, while excavating and constructing upon her (land-goddess) land. Under a consecration-process and religious performance for the land, one copper vessel containing small images made up of silver of a snake and a tortoise be placed into and sanctified an excavated hollow in a corner following the movement/transit of the Zodiac sign of the sun or as per the kind of the construction. Thus, the land/s become hallowed, through the chanting by Maharaj of religious spells (Mantro) in Sanskrit relating to the Bhoomi-Poojan i.e. Land Consecration.