Pooja Vidhanam

August 11, 2010

The Mylapore Trio of Sri Sumukhi Rajasekharan Memorial Foundation organized the seventh year Pooja Vidhanam, a first of its kind innovative workshop for women, about our various festivals like Ganesha Chathurthi, Krishna Jayanthi, Varalakshmi Vritam on Saturday 24th July, 2010, at Sundari Silks, Chennai.
From the morning, Sundari Silks wore a festive look. The entrance thinnais (piols), mittham (sunken area) with pillars at the center of the hall were traditionally and aesthetically decorated with maayilai (mango leaves), thoranam (festoons), silk thombais supported with white kolams and kaavi (red dye) by the members of the foundation. In the evening, the Three Gods were decorated and placed in the mittham, surrounded by the audience on three sides. All the members and children including the Trio presented themselves in gorgeous south Indian traditional attire of silks sarees and dhothis and traditional jewelry.
At the outset, the Trio explained the purpose of the workshop which they felt was very essential. According to them, these poojas and the spiritual values which they inherited from their foster parents must be perpetuated to the younger generation. The Trio began with a lecture demonstration on Alankaram, beautifying Amman face, making Thazhampoo Jadai, Cotton Vastram, and many more tips on kolams, decorations and not to miss stories and legends. There was a lively interactive session with the audience regarding the various aspects of the poojas.
Revathy Shankkaran and Prema Krishnamurthi explained the nuances and significance of poojas including arrangements, Pooja Dhrvyam, Mantras, Naivedhyam, Maavilaku etc... Hundreds of glass bangles of various sizes in auspicious colours, contributed by Revathi Shankkaran, were distributed to all the women.

Young girls and boys demonstrated the process of doing the poojas… i.e. traditional welcome of Goddess Lakshmi into the house. Young singers of the Foundation mellifluously rendered appropriate pooja songs like Bhagyadha Lakshmi Bharamaa, Lakshmi Raavemaa Inntikee, Mangalam… and so on.

Mrs. and Mr. Rajaram (proprietor of Sundari Silks) extended all cooperation in hosting the workshop at their premises. At the end of the program, they made arrangements to distribute thamboolam and prasadams ie. sweet Pongal, Sundal, Kozhukattai etc. to all the people. The workshop was well attended by participants (young and old) who were very enthusiastic in knowing more about our cultural roots. They felt that the workshop was "very useful, a spiritual and cultural eye opener for them."