Maha Rajagopuram Kumbhabhishekam
Contributed By - Gayathri Krithivas
Maha Ganapati Temple of Arizona evokes a strong sense of pride and ownership in the thousands of devotees who frequent the temple week after week. Look a little deeper and you will find that there is a common thread that runs amongst the devotees. It is the sense of being transported to India, to what they grew up with. To the younger generation, it is the connection to their ancestors while living away from the land of their forefathers.
This icon of spirituality is a source of immense sanctity and tranquility. The desire to establish an organization that is steeped in the Agama Shastras became a full- fledged effort to raise the structure that we see today. Agama Shastra is a compendium of guidelines outlining the size, proportions of a temple structure and its deities, method of performing the services to the deities and much more. The temple came about with the generosity of thousands and the volunteerism of hundreds. Since 2002, volunteers and donors have contributed tirelessly to raise the temple with shrines for twelve main deities and smaller deities surrounding the three main shrines as well as the towers that soar into the Sonoran skyline.
In yet another milestone, Maha Ganapati Temple of Arizona will consecrate the 54-foot tall main tower known as the Maha Rajagopuram. The five-day event begins on April 18th and will culminate with the Kumbhabhishekam (pouring of sanctified water atop the Kalasas that will adorn the peaks of the towers) on Sunday, April 22. The volunteers and officers of the Board of Directors have been planning for this day for over two years.
The Kumbhabhishekam will be performed by almost 30 priests from the USA and India and the event will be presided by the head of the Kauai Hindu Monastery, Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami. The Mayor of Maricopa will dedicate the Maha Rajagopuram at the ceremony on Sunday.
It is not a simple task to build a temple according to the Agama Shastras. Padmashree Muthiah Stapathi, the renowned architect of many temples says, “A building housing the vigrahas (deities) does not become an Agamic Temple. The science of Agama Shastras are exacting to the minutest of detail. From the placement of the temple structure on a piece of land to the exact proportions of the deities and their placement within the shrines, every detail must be followed exactly in order to maximize the spiritual energy of the temple.” A team of over a dozen Shilpis (temple artisans), worked under the Stapathi’s guidance to build this temple. They braved the scorching Arizona heat, the cold wind gusts in the winter at that height and worked 365 days a year to make this extraordinary monument a reality.
Over the course of the past decade and a half, volunteers helped the artisans build the gopuram hands on through the iBuild program. Fundraising for the construction involved many community outreach events like Mahima concerts and the Temple Steward program. The blending of ancient science and modern day requirements is no easy task. Local structural engineers worked tirelessly with the Stapathi to create the temple that meets the 21st century standards while adhering to the shastras. While the temple liaison officers spent a tremendous amount of time and energy in raising community awareness, the volunteers dedicated time expertise in a range of fields in order to ensure continuous daily religious services since 2002 and seamless operations in all areas.
About the Maha Rajagopuram:
• The Maha Rajagopuram stands majestically with three towers, the 54 foot tall gopuram with five grand tiers, and the north and south gopurams. They are all embellished with intricate sculptures.
• Devotees donated over 30,000 clay bricks with their names inscribed on them to build the Maha Rajagopuram making it truly a community monument.
• Bhumi (ground) Puja for its construction took place in February 2016 with the grand arrival of an elephant to place the first brick.
• There are more than 40 ornate vigrahas (deities) adorning the different tiers of the gopuram (tower). Each of these vigrahas stand over 3 feet tall.
• There are 17 forms of Ganapati adorning the entrance to the temple.
• The smaller towers to the north and south have over 30 vigrahas adorning them.
• More than 3000 exquisite decorative elements were created to adorn the gopurams.
• The Vimanas (towers above the main shrines) contain over 60 of these intricate sculptures depicting the deities of the temple.
• 15 Kalasas (cupolas) made of precious and semi-precious metals will adorn the top of the main tower and the smaller north and south towers. Devotees will fill these Kalasas with grain and precious stones during the 5-day event.
These features in addition to many more make Maha Ganapati Temple of Arizona a truly one-of-a-kind monument in Arizona. Smt. Radha Ganesh, a volunteer since the inception of the temple says, “This temple is a testament to the devotion of the community and the grace of Lord Maha Ganapati and it exemplifies the tenets of Sanatana Dharma eternally.”
April 18-22, 2018 will be memorable days for all Arizonans as they witness the consecration of the Maha Rajagopuram. An edifice on such a grand scale is a rarity and one must be truly blessed to be able to witness an event of such epic proportions. More event information is available on the website www.ganapati.org