Geetha Patil
CHICAGO: Hindu Mandir of Lake County celebrated Guru Purnima festival as Grandparent’s /Senior’s Day with much zeal and zest. About 50 grandparents including those visiting from India for the summer were honored with much devotion and dedication as the living Gurus of our families along with our academic teachers and spiritual gurus namely Adi Shankaracharya, Madhvacharya, Ramanujacharyaand Vallabhacharya.
The program started with the monthly Lord Satyanarayana and Lord Ganesh Pujas by Pt. Anil Joshi Ji and Pt. Balaji Gopal Ji by following all the Vedic rituals and reading of Satyanarayana Katha for the devotees. Pt Anil Joshi Ji delivered his powerful discourse on the topic, ‘Importance of Guru and Prasad.’
In his discourse, Pt. Joshi Ji highlighted, “We celebrate Mother’s and Father’s Days but not Grandparent’s Day who are in fact the living Gurus of our families who shows the right path and enlighten us with knowledge and who brings us out to the light from the darkness. So, we need to encourage our youngsters to acquire rich knowledge from their grandparents and respect them utmost reverence.”
Pt. Anil Joshi Ji and his wife Kiran Joshi Ji honored 50 grandparents by washing their feet and offering them Angavastra, Tilak, Akshata, Pushpa and Phal along a small gift bag. He also wished them a long life filled with good health and happiness.
After MahaMangalarati, MahaPrasadam was served to all the grandparents and devotees. Pt. Balaji Gopal thanked all the grandparents, and devotees, for their active participation and the volunteers for their self-less service to the temples programs and making every event a special and memorable one.
