A Pooja in Santa Barbara

Aug 15 2011    

This summer I attended a Pooja on a ranch above Santa Barbara. Its a Hindu ceremony to give and receive blessings. There are many kinds of Poojas, and this one was beautiful and amazing. When we were getting set up, a friend was asked to gather some wood from the east side of a tree for the fire that would be prepared. Below is a list of other items the Brahman priest asked to have ready for the ceremony.

turmeric powder, kumkum (red – not synthetically dyed powder), rangoli, rice (a couple of pounds), flowers (loose flowers for offerings – yellow, red, white, orange, pink), betel leaves (20), betel nuts (25), fruits all kinds (min 3 each), coconuts (5), PANCHAMRUTA(milk, curd, ghee, honey, sugar) one wati of each, camphor , sweets – 1kg for prasad, matches , incense sticks, ghee lamps and pre-soaked wicks, ghee, coins – e.g. quarters (25), perfume (Indian oil-based), napkins (for wiping hands), asanas & small cushions for sitting, blouse pieces – red, yellow, white, Thalis & watis & spoons & bowls (silver and plain), Threads – yellow, red etc, ghee2kg, black sesame seeds 2 kg, rice 2kg , wooden pieces for havan 10kg (fragrant puja wood), havan kund , cow dung (dry) , wooden ladles , Photo of Guru, Statue or image of deity to be invoked, Incense holder.

a Puja in Santa Barbara (1)a Puja in Santa Barbara (2)a Puja in Santa Barbara (3)a Puja in Santa Barbara (4)a Puja in Santa Barbara (5)a Puja in Santa Barbara (7)a Puja in Santa Barbara (8)a Puja in Santa Barbara (10)a Puja in Santa Barbara (11)a Puja in Santa Barbara (14)a Puja in Santa Barbara (15)

After the Puja and lunch, there was a great swarm of bees outside. They were so excited! I hung out with them for a while, they were really fun. I thought we should catch them, but the folks there already had three colonies, and didn’t have equipment for a fourth. Later, I went wading in the pond with some naked kids and helped with some mud pies.

a Puja in Santa Barbara (16)a Puja in Santa Barbara (17)a Puja in Santa Barbara (18)a Puja in Santa Barbara (19)a Puja in Santa Barbara (20)

comment