Akhand Ramayan Puja at Shanthi Mandir – by Inder Khurana
Akhand Ramayan, the uninterrupted reading of Ramayan, started after the invocation of Gods and the recitation of Shri Ram Ashtotra Shata Naamavali on April 5, 2014. Dr. Shivendra Shukla and Mrs Asha Shukla presided the puja. With God’s grace, “the yajna,” as Dr. Shukla put it, was successfully completed around noon the next day. After the conclusion of the reading, the devotees enjoyed the prasad and lunch.
Devotees read and heard the story of Sri Rama with great delight during the weekend. Everyone attending joined in hymning Sri Rama’s praises and the time passed unnoticed. The kitchen was open the entire time with fresh fruits, vegetables, scrumptious desserts, delicious entrees, and hot tea prepared by volunteers. As a child, my grandmother used to tell me often that Sri Rama sends Hanuman to accomplish the task at hand. I witnessed this happen during the 2014 Akhand Ramayan. Before the start of Akhand Ramayan, several slots for reading Ramayan during the night were still open. To my amazement, there was always a devotee stepping into the Shanthi Mandir’s prayer hall ready to fill the vacant slot. In a few cases, I had to tell the devotee to take a break because another reader was willing to assist. This spirit of devotion – the fountain of all blessings recognized in Ramayan – was very inspiring. It also reinforced my faith in what my grandma said. The 2014 Akhand Ramayan was indeed an uplifting celebration at the Shanthi Mandir. We hope to continue this tradition in future years.
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