A glimpse of Vaikunta at SVT Brahmotsavam

Sri Vaishnavites in Sydney conducted Brahmotsavam celebrations with customary pomp and ritualistic splendour at Sri Venkateshwara Temple in Helensburgh. Led by head priest Sridharan Bhattar, SVT has been holding the iconic festival since 2010. Coinciding with Sri Balaji Brahmotsavam in Tirupati, the ten-day thanksgiving festival, which falls in the Purataasi month (September/October), is a rare opportunity to experience Vaikunta Anubhavam. It is believed that the creator Lord Brahma himself prayed to Vishnu on the banks of Pushkarni for protecting the human race.

Commencing with the Dwaja aarohanam (hoisting of Garuda’s flag at dhwajasthambam), the tenday festival was marked by daily homam, Vedic chanting, special abhishekam and alankaaram

The highlight of the festival of course is the daily alankaaram and ritualistic procession, when the resplendent utsava murthy is taken out in a majestic pageant on different vahanas - Sesha, Pushpa, Garuda, Simha, Hanumantha, Gaja, Sarva Bhoopala, Chandra and Surya Prabhai, Mohini alankaaram and Pallaku, culminating with Ratha or the grand chariot procession, which was custom built specially for the festival.

Hundreds of devotees participated in the event. SVT ran special buses from Homebush to cater to the less mobile. Communal chanting and daily annadhaanam were integral part of the grand celebrations.

Usha Ramanujam Arvind