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On Tuesday, July 22, 2003, members of the Hindu
Temple and Cultural Center of SC gathered outside for a bhumi
puja to honor the earth before an extensive construction project
(including a new "multipurpose building" and living quarters for the
priests) began at the temple. A bhumi puja is a kind of "ritual
groundbreaking" ceremony in which devotees express
appreciation for the earth upon which they are about to build and
request blessings on the construction project. |
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Despite the impending rain and eventual thunderstorm,
the group went on with the puja, moving it to the covered outdoor
altar area instead of having it out on the grass. The group saw the
torrential downpour as a sign of blessing from God. |
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One of the objects present at the puja was a nonanthropomorphic representation of Ganesha, the Lord of Beginnings and Remover of Obstacles, called a kumbha, made by placing a coconut on a brass pot of water with five mango leaves inserted between the coconut and the pot. |
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Sacred symbols, like the "aum" and the swastika, were drawn on the manila folder containing the contractor's building plans for the expansion of the temple. (The swastika is an ancient Indian solar symbol believed to bring luck and good fortune.) |
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Here the priest adds to the sacred symbols on the folder. |
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The folder was then placed at the center of the circle. The priest continued with the recitation of the ceremony as the devotees called their responses and tossed grains of rice on the folder. |
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Another view of the devotees tossing rice on the folder. |
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The priest recited the ceremony from a photocopy of a
bhumi puja service; this type of puja is infrequent, so it is not
generally committed to memory like the more common pujas.
Notice the small shovel to the right of the priest and the half-gallon
of milk. Later in the ritual, the shovel is used for the ceremonial
groundbreaking, in which a small hole is dug in the ground. The
milk, along with water from the puja vessels, is poured into the
ground to consecrate it. |
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The devotees distribute more rice among themselves for the continuation of the ceremony. |
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A close-up of the various elements present for the bhumi puja (fruit offerings, rice, incense, flame, flowers). Note the folder containing the contractor's building plans to the right, covered in rice grains. |
