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Praan Prathistaa Ceremony - A Legacy for Granny

This post is very close to home for me, sharing not just a bit of Trinidad  & Tobago's multi-ethnic culture, but my Hindu heritage and family.  Indians make up 35% of the population of T&T; descendants of the first Indians who came from India 169 years ago. Sometimes people are surprised T&T has such a high percentage of Indians but it is just another factor that makes us such a unique country.

 

I do travel a lot, but when it comes to family, I find myself on a plane back to Trinidad as much as I can to celebrate religious and other functions with them. This was one of such events.

 

Granny's wish for her 80th birthday was to have a Hindu deity brought from India and placed in one of her favourite temples in town as her legacy. Granny being the matriarch of the family, when she says she wants, we make it happen. However this event we were about to undertake as a family was a once in a lifetime opportunity.

 

Now it could have been made in Trinidad but Granny's wish was to have it made from marble in Jaipur, India. Doesn't sound too complicated does it? Little did we know we were about to commission a 400kg marble murti of the Surya God to be shipped to Trinidad and the elaborate ritual upon arrival to have it installed in the temple.  It was similar to a mini Indian wedding with much pomp and circumstance, a definitely learning experience for all.

 

Why Surya?

 

Surya is the chief solar deity of the Hindu religion. Lord Surya, the Sun God as he is commonly referred, is the only visible god which one can see every day in the form of the sun. He is also the presiding deity of Sunday. He is often depicted riding a chariot harnessed by seven horses which is said to represent the seven chakras in the body, seven colours of the rainbow, seven days of the week etc. Seven being a very auspicious number for Hindus.

 

Hindus consider a murti worthy of serving as a focus of divine worship only after the divine is invoked in it for the purpose of offering worship. Praan Prathistaa is the idol installation ceremony, which is the means of instilling the divine presence of the Lord himself.

 

With 300 invited guests (Granny's version of a "small" event), we all escorted the Surya murti from her house to the Shiva Harijan Mandir which was a 2 mile walk away in Debe, my hometown of circa 4,000 residents.

 

Follow this awe inspiring event in photos as we made Granny's dream come true.

 

 Doing puja before the Surya murti can leave our home and be taken to the temple.

Praan Prathistaa Ceremony - A Legacy for Granny

 

Everyone sang hymns praising Lord Surya as the murti was put on the truck that will take it the temple.

Praan Prathistaa Ceremony - A Legacy for Granny

 

The singing continued as the procession left our street.

Praan Prathistaa Ceremony - A Legacy for Granny

 

A pitstop at the beginning of our street to perform prayers; seeking blessings as the Surya murti left our family home for the last time.

Praan Prathistaa Ceremony - A Legacy for Granny

 

The procession continued to chant hymns as they left our street and proceeded onto the main road to the temple (police escort directing traffic off course)

Praan Prathistaa Ceremony - A Legacy for Granny

 

The seven boys, holding flags with names of each of the seven horses depicted on the Surya murti, lead the procession

Praan Prathistaa Ceremony - A Legacy for Granny

 

The seven girls walking proudly carrying their thalis on their heads.

Praan Prathistaa Ceremony - A Legacy for Granny

Praan Prathistaa Ceremony - A Legacy for Granny

 

Halfway mark in the procession to the temple.

Praan Prathistaa Ceremony - A Legacy for Granny

 

Family and friends walked behind the murti on the street continually chanting hymns to Lord Surya.

Praan Prathistaa Ceremony - A Legacy for Granny

 

Almost at the temple, everyone felt the energy of the chanting.

Praan Prathistaa Ceremony - A Legacy for Granny

 

Our needed police approval and escort to have this event. They did a fantastic job directing traffic (afterall we were 200 people walking on the main streets in town).

Praan Prathistaa Ceremony - A Legacy for Granny

 

Arriving at the temple the murti would call home.

Praan Prathistaa Ceremony - A Legacy for Granny

 

Granny and her two daughters continued to perform Aarti on the murti before it is taken inside.

Praan Prathistaa Ceremony - A Legacy for Granny

 

Inside the temple, the seven boys and seven girls all stand in a row to welcome the murti as it is brought in.

Praan Prathistaa Ceremony - A Legacy for Granny

 

Doing Aarti as the 400kg marble murti is brought into the temple by a forklift.

Praan Prathistaa Ceremony - A Legacy for Granny

 

Manually moving the murti onto the stand where it will be placed permanently.

Praan Prathistaa Ceremony - A Legacy for Granny

 

Before the ceremony starts, the murti is covered, life has not been breathed into it until the ceremony is over.

Praan Prathistaa Ceremony - A Legacy for Granny

 

The two pundits (Hindu priests) getting ready to start the ceremony.

Praan Prathistaa Ceremony - A Legacy for Granny

 

The multicultural side of Trinidad - my cousin stared the program off playing the National Anthem on the national instrument - the steelpan.

Praan Prathistaa Ceremony - A Legacy for Granny

 

The entire family sat together with Granny to perform the ceremony.

Praan Prathistaa Ceremony - A Legacy for Granny

 

Doing final puja to Lord Surya

Praan Prathistaa Ceremony - A Legacy for Granny

 

Praan Praatishta ceremony over, the Surya murti is worshipped in the temple.

Praan Prathistaa Ceremony - A Legacy for Granny

 

The family at the end of the ceremony all dressed in red. Red represents Surya.

Praan Prathistaa Ceremony - A Legacy for Granny

Attachments

Images (24)
  • Praan Prathistaa Ceremony - A Legacy for Granny: The family at the end of the ceremony all dressed in red. Red represents Surya.
  • Praan Prathistaa Ceremony - A Legacy for Granny: Doing puja before the Surya murti can leave our home and be taken to the temple.
  • Praan Prathistaa Ceremony - A Legacy for Granny: Everyone singing hymns praising Lord Surya as the murti is put on the truck that will take it the temple.
  • Praan Prathistaa Ceremony - A Legacy for Granny: The singing continued as the procession leaves our street.
  • Praan Prathistaa Ceremony - A Legacy for Granny: A pitstop at the beginning of our street to perform prayers, seeking blessings as the Surya murti leaving our family grounds for the last time.
  • Praan Prathistaa Ceremony - A Legacy for Granny: The procession continues to chant hymns as they leave our street and proceed on the main road to the temple (police escort directing traffic off course)
  • Praan Prathistaa Ceremony - A Legacy for Granny: The seven boys, holding flags with names of each of the seven horses depicted on the Surya murti, lead the procession
  • Praan Prathistaa Ceremony - A Legacy for Granny: The seven girls walking proudly carrying their thalis on their heads.
  • Praan Prathistaa Ceremony - A Legacy for Granny: The seven girls walking proudly carrying their thalis on their heads.
  • Praan Prathistaa Ceremony - A Legacy for Granny: Halfway mark in the procession to the temple.
  • Praan Prathistaa Ceremony - A Legacy for Granny: Family and friends walking behind the murti on the street.
  • Praan Prathistaa Ceremony - A Legacy for Granny: Almost at the temple, everyone feeling the energy of the chanting.
  • Praan Prathistaa Ceremony - A Legacy for Granny: Our fantastic police escort leading the way.
  • Praan Prathistaa Ceremony - A Legacy for Granny: Arriving at the temple the murti would call home.
  • Praan Prathistaa Ceremony - A Legacy for Granny: Granny and her two daughters continue to perform Aarti on the murti before it is taken inside.
  • Praan Prathistaa Ceremony - A Legacy for Granny: Inside the temple, they all stand in a row to welcome the murti as it is brought in
  • Praan Prathistaa Ceremony - A Legacy for Granny: Doing Aarti as the 400kg murti is brought into the temple by a forklift.
  • Praan Prathistaa Ceremony - A Legacy for Granny: Manually moving the murti onto the stand where it will be placed permanently.
  • Praan Prathistaa Ceremony - A Legacy for Granny: Before the ceremony starts, the murti is covered, life has not been breathed into it until the ceremony is over.
  • Praan Prathistaa Ceremony - A Legacy for Granny: The two pundits (Hindu priests) performing the ceremony.
  • Praan Prathistaa Ceremony - A Legacy for Granny: The multicultural side of Trinidad - my cousin stared the program off playing the National Anthem on the national instrument - the steelpan.
  • Praan Prathistaa Ceremony - A Legacy for Granny: The family sit together with Granny to perform the ceremony.
  • Praan Prathistaa Ceremony - A Legacy for Granny: Doing final puja to Lord Surya.
  • Praan Prathistaa Ceremony - A Legacy for Granny: Praan Praatishta ceremony over, the Surya murti is worshipped in the temple.

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