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Pandit Shri Satyanand Sukul is descended from the Shukla Brahmanas of Uttar Pradesh; his father was a renowned Jyotishi Pandit in Guyana. Now serving the Guyanese Hindu Community of Mississauga in Canada, Pt. Sukul and the devotees had finally been able to build their own purpose-built Mandir.

He very humbly approached Shri Sadgurudev Ji Maharaj and beseeched him to guide them in their plans for the Praan Pratishtha ceremony of the deities of the Mandir. Shri Sadgurudev Ji Maharaj was then invited to preside over the crucial ceremony of Praan Pratishtha, and Shri Sadgurudev Ji Maharaj took time out from his busy schedule to bless and guide the Indo-Caribbean Hindu devotees, who form the majority of attendees of the Lakshmi Mandir. Shri Sadgurudev Ji Maharaj’s disciple Brahmachari Vrajvihari Sharan conducted the ceremonies assisted by Acharya Dhirendra Tripathi, Pt. Krishna Sharan Sharma from Golok Dham New Delhi; and Pt. Haribhajan Ji, Pt. Vrajbhushan Ji Sharma and his father Shastri Ji all assisted the proceedures.

Praan Pratishtha Day 1, 25th June 2009

The Praan Pratishtha commenced with Shobha Yatra and Varun Pujan with the Utsava Vigrahas and Kalashes to the Credit River where devotees performed invocations to Ganga Mata, Yamuna Mata and Varun Devata before bathing the deities and collecting water in the Kalashes for use in the Pratishtha.

Once this was done, the Dvaara Puja was completed by Pt. Sukul, the first entrance of the Mandir was completed with auspicious Vedic Mantras. The Priests went in preceeded by Kanya devis with Kalashes on their heads.

Pran Pratishtha day 2, 26th June 2009

The second day began with the intense Vedic Rituals being commenced. Shri Sadgurudev Ji Maharaj then entered with a deity for the Mandir braught from Shri Vrindavan Dham – Shri Bal Krishna Bhagavan. After parading Him around the Mandir, with Pt. Sukul being given the highest honour of carrying the Lord on his head, the Lord was installed first on the Sinhaasan of the Mandir. The Yajmaans then performed Jalaadhivas, Annadhivaas, Havan and then in the evening there were bhajans, keertans and pravachans. This culminated in Shri Sadgurudev Ji Maharaj’s Aashirvachan and then Aarti. All devotees partook of Vaishnav Prasaad at the end.

Praan Pratishtha day 3, 27th June 2009

The necessary rituals were completed followed by Havan and also the Panchamrit Abhishek and Ghritaadhivaas of all the Deities. In the evening the deities were put to sleep to rise the following morning. During this time Shri Sadgurudev Ji Maharaj gave his blessings, and also completed the major rituals with his lotus hands. He established the Yantras and performed Abhisheka of all the Deities including a Rudrabhishekam of Lord Shivalingam.

Praan Pratishtha Final Day, 28th June 2009, Shri Heraa Panchami (Lakshmiji’s Utsav day)

On this grand day, the mandir was filled to the brim. The Yagya Purnahuti was performed, followed by the last of the Pujas. After this the energising of the limbs of the deities was performed by the revered Pandits, followed by Shri Sadgurudev Ji Maharaj performing Samprokshana with the Kalash water worshipped for the 3 days, and then the Praan Pratishtha itself. Shri Sadgurudev Ji Maharaj invoked the presence of the Divine Lord and His partial energies to stay in the Lakshmi Mandir in the form of the Deities installed. This was followed by the removal of the eye coverings allowing the Lord to cast His first glance over the devotees and then Shri Sadgurudev Ji Maharaj named all the deities in the Mandir. This was followed by Keertans, Bhajans and Pravachan before the first Darshan Aarti and Chhappan Bhog (annakut) Darshan occured. Shri Sadgurudev Ji Maharaj performed the Raj Bhog Pratham Darshan Aarti and offered prayers before leaving for India that very afternoon.

All in all, devotees worked extremely hard to make this festival a great success, and according to the devotees, without Shri Sadgurudev Ji Maharaj’s presence and guidance, nothing could have happened with all the building-work delays that occurred. Shri Sadgurudev Ji Maharaj blessed the devotees of Mississauga and installed the presence of the Lord in the Lakshmi Mandir to recieve the devotions of the faithful and bless them.

Jay Shri Radhe Shyam!