Murti blessed with water from Ganges

WATER FROM the River Ganges mixed with multi-coloured flowers was poured on the 85-foot Lord Hanuman Murti as part of a consecration ceremony at 12.10 pm yesterday. It was the final devotional exercise conducted by His Holiness Swami Ganapati Sachchidananda, head of the Dattatreya Yoga Centre, Orange Field Road, Carapichaima, attended by a gathering of thousands of devotees, including acting President Dr. Linda Baboolal and Opposition Leader Basdeo Panday. A helicopter was used for the final act in the four hour Puja. The murti, the only one of its kind in the Western hemisphere,  took two and a half years to build. It was designed by 18 sculptors from India headed by Sabramanian Sthapaty, at the request of the Swami, who hails from Mysore, India. He now regards Trinidad and Tobago as his second home.

Head of the Dattatreya Yoga Centre, Ramesh Persad-Maharaj, said the murti represented the aspirations of the Hindu community. He said it could become a major tourist attraction. The ceremony began at 8.30 am with large numbers of devotees in attendance despite heavy showers. The ashram was crammed with overseas guests, many of whom flew in from Louisiana, Pittsburgh, and Pennsylvania in the United States, where yoga centres have been established under the leadership of Swami Sachchidananda . After the opening of the puja, a copper mystical diagram of Lord Hanuman was placed in a strategic position at the ashram followed by the Hawan Kund (the fire aspect of the ceremony). Then the Swami mounted the stairs  leading to the base of the murti to perform his final act, calling on the Creator to “bless this country and its people as they represent what is beautiful and crystal in this part of the world”. After the Ganges water was emptied on the murti, the Swami joined a dancing crowd who paraded around the base of the murti, singing “Lord Hanuman Ki Jai.” The Swami will be celebrating his 61st birthday on June 11, with prayers at the Dattatreya Ashram.