Ramosana (Gujarat), Nov 23 (IANS) This small village in Gujarat's Mehsana district is witnessing a religious ritual in which 3,000 priests have begun chanting hymns to invoke divine intervention to tackle the global financial crisis.
The priests have been drawn from states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Rajasthan apart from different parts of Gujarat to Madhavnagar locality of Ramosana. The ritual, which began 15 days back, has the priests sitting around 109 sacrificial fires and chanting hymns to appease goddess Meldi, urging her to restore prosperity and world peace.
Surprisingly, none of the residents of Mehsana, about 75 km from Ahmedabad, know much about the financial crisis the world is facing. But the Koti Chandi Mahayagna Seva Samiti (KCMSS), which is organising the ritual, claims it is the first ever yagna (sacrificial ritual) to be performed at such a large scale that would continue for two years at an approximate cost of Rs.1.5 billion (Rs.150 crore).
'The yagna which has entered its 15th day on Saturday will continue uninterruptedly for two years. The first phase of the yagna will end after 10 million Chandi Path slokas (hymns) in praise of goddess Meldi have been uttered invoking divine blessings,' said Dahyabhai Patel, convener and trustee of KCMSS
Said Shari Ratnesh Jha, a priest invited to perform the rites: 'It is unprecedented. I have never came across such big havans before.'
'It is indeed historical as this sort of vast yagnas are found only in religious texts. Only Hindu emperors of yore performed such yagnas,' said Kailasnath Chandralekh, another priest.
Pradyuman Shashtri, the head priest from Mehsana, says this is the greatest moment of his life and that the ritual is sure to have positive results.
'I am sure Goddess Meldi will fulfil the desires of the people.'
|
|
Comments:
