March was another busy month at Shri Sai Chavadi temple with Vasantha Navarathri and Shri Ram Navami celebrations. Vasantha Navarathri Celebrations were from March 21st – March 29th with Ugadi/Gudipadwa on March 21st   and Shri Ram Navami on March 28th.

The temple was open all day long on the Ugadi day. Ugadi (uga = year; adi = beginning) marks the beginning of a new Hindu lunar calendar with a change in the moon’s orbit. With the onset of the beautiful Spring season, Ugadi brings in lots of happiness. While this is called ‘Ugadi’ in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, it is known as ‘Gudipadava’ in Maharashtra.
 
Shri Ram Navami Utsav was celebrated with great passion, verve & heart fullness on Mar 28th at Chavadi.
 
Shri Ram Navami is a well-known Hindu Holiday. It is celebrated on the ninth day of the Chaitra Sukla paksha. This day also coincides with the star Punarvasu, the birth star of Sri Rama (The seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu). Special festivities of this function include Sri Rama’s birth, Sita Rama Kalyanam, his victory over Ravana.

Hundreds of devotees throng to Chavadi temple where the idols of BalaRama are kept in cradle. The temple remained open all day long on this day with programs like Rama Jana Cradle Ceremony, Bhajans, Concerts, Dances, Kirtans, Parayanam (sundarakanda) and exuberant procession in an aesthetically-decorated palanquin [Palki]. Devotees offer obeisance in the Divine’s name and chant mantras throughout the day.  In the evening the temple performed Sita Rama Kalyanam, The celestial wedding of Lord Rama and Sita amidst much pomp and gaiety which provided an opportunity to all devotees to be part of the procession and do seva.  Hundreds of devotees arrived from various parts of Massachusetts to witness the divine wedding and prasad was distributed after puja and aarti in the entire nine-day Navratri period.

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