By Ginny McCabe
Contributing Writer
Beavercreek – Hindu Temple of Dayton will be hosting a two-day worship service “Maharudra Yagna” Friday, June 12 and Saturday, June 13. The two-day event is scheduled to begin on Friday morning, and it will bring hundreds of worshippers to Dayton.
“This is the first time we have held this celebration in Dayton” said Priest Ramesh Rajamani, Hindu Temple of Dayton. “It is considered very spiritually uplifting to do it this year, so it is being done this year by many people.”
It will bring peace, prosperity and happiness to the community, he said.
“This is a very rare religious function, even for Hindus,” Rajamani said. “The chanting is over 2,000 years old. It’s a very rare opportunity for our people. This prayer is not for material gain only. As one of our teachers said, ‘This chanting gives you mental peace and spiritual growth.’ That is the purpose. It is for the whole community.”
Led by a group of priests, about 10 chapters will be chanted by 80 individuals. Guests of all ages will attend the service.
“It will be a very vibrant function. I attended a service like this in India. It’s a very spiritually uplifting event. You experience a lot of happiness. You come closer to divinity by the atmosphere it generates,” Rajamani said.
The service will include chanting holy prayers in addition to other festivities, including a dance on Friday night and other cultural programming.
Hindu Temple of Dayton priests Ramesh Rajamani and Ashwani Kumar encourage the public to attend. Several temples will be represented, and more than 500 people are expected to participate in the weekend’s events. For more details and a complete schedule, go to www.daytontemple.com.
The temple has existed for 30 years and is open seven days a week. It was built in 1985, and recently celebrated its 30th anniversary in May. Several hundred people regularly gather at the temple throughout the week. People come from Beavercreek, Fairborn, Centerville, Dayton, Cincinnati, Lexington, Kentucky, Indiana, Columbus and Cleveland. For this sacred ceremony, visitors are expected to travel from Cincinnati, Columbus, Indianapolis, Louisville and Pittsburgh, to name a few.