Mumbai, December 22: The 26th Annual Ayyappa Mahapooja of Shri Ganapathi, Ayyappa Durgadevi temple of Dharmashastha Bhakthavrinda Charitable Trust, sector 29 of Nerul (E) at New Mumbai was celebrated on a grand scale last Sunday.

In the morrning, the programmes were started with chanting of “sharanu”. Later Ganahoma, Deepaaraadhane, Lakshanaama pushpaarchane, shlokha patana, padipooja rituals were done. After that the mahaapooja was conducted to lord Ayyappa and annaprasadam was distributed to devotees. The chief priest of Ghansoli Shri Mookambika Temple-Guruprasad Bhat lead the Vaidik pooja rituals. With the guidance of Harish guruswamy-Ayyappa Swamy pooja rituals were done.

Mani Swamy Dasan-Dombivili- who completed 50th time of Shabarimala pilgimage, Guruswamy Harish N Shetty- who will be completing 25th pilgrimage to Shabarimala and Dr Shiva M Moodiger-the trusty member of Dharmashastha Charitable Trust-New-Mumbai and recently honored with doctorate by Kings University of USA, were honored by office bearers of the association in the interim of religious programmes. Anny C Shetty-president of Gansoli Shri Mookambika temple and Prakash Kadam- doner-were honored with prasadam.

On the eve of annual programme, Shri Mookambika Bhajan Mandali- Ghansoli, Shri Shaneeshwara Bhajana Mandali-Nerul, Shri Sadguru Nithyananda Bhajana Mandali-Sakinaka, Dharmashastha Bhakth Vrinda-New-mumbai and other bhajan groups performed the bhajan programme.

During the programme, Sanjeeva N Shetty-president of Dharmashastha Bhakthavrinda Charitable trust, Prakash Mahadhik-vice president, Sadashiva N Shetty-Honorary treasurer, joint secretary-Ramakrishna S Shetty, joint treasurer-Nithyananda V Shetty, Kishore Kumar M Shetty-president of Shri Manikanta seva sangam, Damodhar S shetty-vice president, Sundar V Poojary-Honarary chief secretary, Suresh G Shetty-Honarary treasurer, Hari L Shetty-joint secretary, Rajendra Prasad Mada-joint treasurer, Santhosh D Shetty-formar Mayor and other members from both associations, devotees were present and obtained Lord Ayyappa’s blessings. With Maha-mangalarathi and distribution of prasadam at night the annual celebration was completed.

Daddangady Chelladka Kusumodara D Shetty-executive president of Shri Manikanta Seva Sangam welcomed all and in his introductory speech he said-“Ayyppa mandir of this area is like the third eye of lord Shiva. Mookambika devi at–Ghansoly, Shaneeshwara temple at Nerul and now this Ayyappa temple here at Nerul east, all these divine places will bring prosperity in devotees’ lives. Here the office bearers are only pretext, the devotees are everything in this temple”. Mohandas K Rai-Honarary Chief secretary of the Dharmashastha Bhakthavrinda Charitable Trust proposed the vote of thanks.