KHNA Sapthaham Final News, July 20, 2008

Tustin, California, Jul 16, 2008: Kerala Hindus of North America (KHNA), a continental organization currently headquartered in Los Angeles under the leadership of the local Organization of Hindu Malayalees (OHM) successfully concluded a week long Bhagavatha Sapthaham Yagnam on July 14, 2008 at the Mithila Chinmaya Mission Center in Tustin, California. What the organizers had announced as a "unique spiritual journey" indeed proved to be a one to the hundreds of devotees who attended it, as well as the hundreds of families from around the continent for whom poojas were conducted at the Sapthaham.

Sapthaham Sponsors and List of Devotees for whom Poojas were done

Sapthaham pictures - Inauguration, Pics-1, Pics-2, Pics-3.

Article in the Malayala Manorama (in malayalam; Jul 31, 2008)

Article in the India Journal, Los Angeles
Swami Ishwarananda of the Center lit the ceremonial lamp to inaugurate the holy event on July 7, and the lamp remained lit through the event. Sapthaham recitals and discourses were started on July 8 and continued until July 14. Srimad Bhagavatham is considered to be the most important and sacred purana of Hindu religious literature and it describes the various incarnations of Lord Krishna’s life. This Sapthaham was conducted with the Bhagavatham in Malayalam in Kilippattu, the unique narrative style of the Kerala poet, Thunjath Ezhuthachan. This is considered to be the first time ever that a Sapthaham in the Kerala traditions was conducted in the North American continent.

As Swami Ishwarananda noted in his inauguration speech, Bhagavatham brings the Vedantic principles down to the common man’s level. Bhagavat Gita explains it in more understandable and condensed terms than Vedas and Upanishads, but Bhagavatham narrates the principles in the most understandable way, through stories of the avataras of Vishnu. It is believed that Vedvayasa imparted the knowledge of Bhagavatham to his son Suka Brahma Rishi who subsequently recited the entire Bhagavatham to Maharaja Parikshith in an assembly of learned saints. The Srimad Bhagavatham starts with Maharaja Parikshith, aware of his own imminent death, asking the Suka Brahma Rishi to give him the knowledge of perfection and the right path of liberation. For seven days, Suka Brahma Rishi narrated the Bhagavatham which ends with Lord Krishna leaving his physical body (swargaarohana). The tradition of Bhagavatha Sapthaham is based on this.

The Bbhagavatha Sapthaham was being conducted for "all Hindu families in the continent", as explained by KHNA’s president Dr. Ramadas Pillai. That KHNA was able to bring in devotees from around the country and conduct an event in such a flawless manner is something that all Hindu malayalees can take pride in," said Sri. T. N. Nair, the chairman of the KHNA trustees who came from Dallas to oversee the activities.

KHNA had informed Malayali Hindu families around the continent of the Sapthaham and had sent pooja and archana coupons to about 2500 families in their fold, through over 100 regional coordinators of the organization in the USA, Canada and Mexico. Devotees who attended the Sapthaham came from places as far away as Chicago, New York, Atlanta, Dallas, Houston and Canadian cities, but significantly more devotees were able to be part of the Sapthaham via the online live webcasts of several important segments and prabhashanams during the week. The local communities in California were present in large numbers and the success of the Sapthaham was a reflection of the selfless voluntary work by people from many communities other than Malayalees. The food for all attendees were prepared and served free as per the strict Sapthaham traditions, and it was possible only with participation from nearly 75 volunteers from several organizations and communities.

The main functions during the week-long reading included events such as Sreekrishna avataram on the third day, Govinda Pattabhshekam on the fourth day, Rukminee swayamvaram on the fifth day, Kuchela Sathgathi on the sixth day and Swargaarohanam with Avabhrutha snaanam on the final day. Several of the events were also enacted in the Sapthaham hall, according to traditions. Thus a gold idol of baby Sreekrishna on a cradle was unveiled for the birth of Sreekrishna, two youngsters enacted the wedding of Krishna (Rukminee swayamvaram), and children enacted the story of Kuchela. It is the strong belief, as explained by the Sapthaha Acharya and the Chief Priest, that divine presence were in all the participants of the enactments, and several devotees spoke of the uniquely moving experience during those events. The final day saw the end of the activities with the traditional bath (avabhrutha snanam) which followed a procession with the idols.

A unique aspect of this Sapthaham was the special poojas conducted on hundreds of Sudarshana Chakrams meant for protection and prosperity of families. These chakrams were designed in Kerala as per strict guidelines for the highest spiritual power to be transmitted to them during the poojas. The chakrams were manufactured using the latest technology in California, in gold color on anodized plates for permanent shine and etching, and "are among the most elaborate and powerful chakrams ever seen," as the Chief priest Hari Guruji exclaime. The organizers deserve special congratulations on their diligence and care for preparing the impressive chakrams which will be sent as part of the prasadams for all families who requested poojas.

In addition to the activities at the Sapthaham hall, KHNA also conducted a parallel symposium titled "Carrying Hinduism Forward" on July 12. Prof. Unnikrishnan of Fullerton, CA, spoke about the need for Hindus to recognize the strength in unity. Sri. Udayabhanu Panickar of Atlanta, GA, spoke on "Gurusmarana" and Sunil Menon of San Francisco, CA talked of his experiences in setting up and running his website guruvayoor.com. There were also papers submitted by Dr. AKB Pillai on "Intellectual Hinduism" and Vasanthi Jayaswal on imparting spiritual knowledge to youngsters, which were discussed.

As the function wound down on July 14th, many of the devotees who attended the Sapthaham for the whole week were found unable to leave the Chinmaya Mission premises which had become their home for a week, providing them with a spiritual experience they had rarely felt in their lives. The whole community who participated in making the function a grand success would agree that this was indeed a "spiritual journey" like none other!