BHAGAVATA SAPTAHA AND MANANEEYA DIDI'S SHATABHISHEKAM CELEBRATION

Bhagavata Saptaha Satram

This year preparations for the Saptah started almost a year back with fixing the Acharya. This time Brahmasri Nochur Venkataraman was chosen as the yagna Acharya.

Ramanacharanatirtha Brahmasri Nochur Venkataraman is an Acharya of Vedanta sampradāya. At a very young age, this sagely teacher started expounding on the age-old Vedic wisdom of the Upanishads, Gita, Bhagavatam and other texts on Vedanta. His discourses and writings are aflame with the power of Atmajñāna and the fragrance of bhakti that one gets on intimation of one’s spiritual essence instantaneously. Coming in the lineage of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi, Nochur Acharya’s talks and writings on Maharshi’s teachings are a great guiding force for Self-enquiry.

Hence it is was decided to contact him in person and invite him for the Satra. After hearing the significance of the event as Man. Lakshmi Didi would be completing 84 years he readily agreed to take part in the Sathabhishekam celebrations. She would have witnessed thousand full moons in her life time that is why this satra occupies a very important event in her life.

As the yagnacharya could not be present at all times st the yagna we changed the Saptah into a Saptah satra, giving an opportunity for several youngsters to participate and give discourses.

From December onwards the actual preparations started with notices and invitations and flex holdings etc. Cook and pandal and light and sound arrangements were all booked in advance. This being the first time the Acharya would be visiting Kodungallur we didn’t have any idea how many would be attending the satra and how many will be staying and what will be the requirement of water and other daily requirements. Things started becoming clear only by the end of January as Acharya clarified certain things like he would be taking the class only in the evening for couple of hours and he would be staying at Kochi etc.

With the help of two devotees Sri Biju and Sri Narayan who have offered their services totally free and could  arrange the other acharyas to speak during the Satram. Advocate.P. R. Ramanathanji a well-known Acharya of Bhagavatam was invited to inaugurate the Satram. Everything was in place by 25^th February.

At 6pm. on 26^th Sri Ramanathanji couldn’t come as he was held up elsewhere. Sri T. Gopalan Kutty Menon, well known poet and Prof. R.D. Iyer, Chairman of Navashakti Trust inaugurated the Satram. Man. Lakshmi Didi introduced the Acharyas to the audience. The atmosphere was charged with chantings. The Mahatmyam was chanted and the importance of Bhagavata Satram was narrated. Thus the first day of the Satram came to end with Shanti Mantra.

Daily programme was as follows

5 am. to 6am.                          Ganapathi Homam and Vishnu Sahasranama

6 am to 8.15 am                       Reading of Bhagavatam

9am. to 10.30 am                     Reading of Bhagavatam

10.30 am to 12.30 noon              Discourse

4.30 pm to 6 p.m                       Discourse

All who honoured us by their presence and discourses were

27^th and 28^th       Brahmasri Sreeraj Cheruvatta

29^th                   Brahmasri Perattupuram Krishnan Namboodiri

1^st March            Brahmasri Harigovind Malikappuram

2^nd March           Brahmasri Ranjit Moleri

3rd MARCH ON DIDI'S BIRTHDAY  - TRIBUTES FOR DIDI BY ALL

From 29^th February to 3^rd March every evening from 4 p.m. to 6.30p.m was the spiritual discourse by the renowned scholar Brahmasri Nochur Venkatraman.The topic chosen was chosen from the 11th Chapter of Srimad Bhagavatam  -the 24 gurus. 

He also spoke on the concluding day,4^th March bringing to finale the grand-Saptaha- Satra.                                           
  Mananeeya Didi's 84th Birthday was on 3rd March. In addition to the Bhagavata Satra, in the morning hours, Ganapati Homa followed by Mrityunjaya Homa was performed by  Rev.Dr Karumatra Vijayanji and his  students.
Office bearers of many Hindu organisations came to wish Didi and take her blessings. Some of them performed dance and sang bhajans, recited poems, as tribute to Ma.Didi. Vivekananda Kendra's All India Adhikaries ,from our headquarters in Kanyakumari- Ma.Bhanudasji, Ma.Hanumanthaji, Ma.Krishnamurtiji, Sri Ayyappanji and Sushri Radha Didi too were present on the occasion and took the blessings of Ma.Didi. Nearly 700 people were present on that day.