UAE: Billawas Dubai Celebrates 158th Guru Jayanti with Fervour
Report: Shodhan Prasad
Daijiworld Media Network - Dubai
Pics: Ashok Belman (GK)
Dubai, Sep 18: Billawas Dubai and Northern Emirates (BDNE) celebrated the 158th Guru Jayanti of Brahma Shree Narayana Guru recently at JSS School, Al Safa, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai. The event was witnessed by many devotees from all over the UAE.
The programme started at around 4.30 pm with lighting of the lamp and continued with Bhajan Sankeerthana in front of a beautifully decorated Mantap and Tulsi. Various Bhajan Groups participated in the puja one after another rendering soulful bhanjans, a treat to all the devotees who enjoyed every bit of it. The Bhajans went on until 8 pm with devotees dancing around the deepa stamba below the stage.
President of BDNE, Jeetendra Suvarna gave a heart-touching welcome speech detailing the importance of Guru Brahma Shree Narayan's teachings and at the same time announced how BDNE has been following Guru's teachings.
Giving importance to education which is one of the basic teachings of Guru, BDNE from many years has being providing education scholarship for the needy community students back home. The president mentioned about the recent education scholarship and medical aid distributed in Shri Kudroli Gokarnanatheshwara Temple. He also announced the formation of BDNE Education Trust in Mangalore which is being already registered during the same programme at Mangalore to keep continuing the scholarship programme for the needy.
A short speech was delivered on Shri Guru by a volunteer from Spiritual Science Research Foundation. The speech covered a brief explanation of how saints and sages in India have contributed to the culture including Brahmarishi Shri Narayan Guru who led the revolt against casteism, and worked on propogating new values of freedom in spirituality and social equality. The most important thing the saints of India have given to the world is 'Guru Shishya Parampara'. In order to understand the concept of Guru three concepts - 'What are we comprised of?', 'How spiritual growth happens' and 'What is spiritual level' was explained. Questions like who is Guru, what is the importance of Guru, should we go in search of Guru, what we have to do if Guru has to come into our life were clarified. How we can move from curious to seeker, seeker to disciple was explained with easily implementable steps. The speech ended with the facilities available to interested curious seekers, prayer and Gratitude.
Later Purohit Sadananda Shaanthi, Pradhana Archakaru, Krishna Mata Karkala who came all the way from Mangalore to perform the puja briefed about Brahma Shree Naryanan Guru and the importance of his teachings to mankind. He also briefed about the reforms Guru made on untouchability which became a social awakening starting from Kerala and spread across India. Purohit also spoke about how Shri Gokarnanatheshwara Temple was formed.
Way back in the 18th century, entry into the temples was banned for backward classes and the downtrodden. So the leaders and senior citizens of Billava community longing for equality on matters like these gathered themselves and sought solace from the spiritual head of their community "Brahmashree Narayana Guru", who had achieved an incredible in religious revolution in Kerala during those times of divine movement. He had proclaimed that every creation of God has a right to worship God and there is only "One Caste, One Religion and One God". He had built 101 temples all over Kerala and provided direct entry into the temple to each and everyone.
The then senior leaders of the Billawa community in Mangalore under the leadership of Sri Sahukar Koragappa went to plead with Guruji to extend the movement and his deeds to Mangalore as well. Shri Narayana Guruji consecrated the Shivalinga that he had brought to Kudroli temple at Mangalore and named it as "Kudroli Gokarnanatheshwara" in the year 1912. Today Kudroli Shree Gokarnanatheshwara Kshethra is a temple with magnificient features which stands out like a heavenly abode on earth in the beautiful coastal town of Mangalore. Lakhs of pilgrims belonging to different castes, communities and religions come and offer prayers here. There are instances of many people who have been cured from different ailments by the grace of Lord Gokarnanatheshwara.
Mogaveers UAE and Rajarajeshwari Bhajana Teams performed the bhajans lively, Rajesh Kuthar decorated the venue, Ramesh Suvarna designed the puja invitation, Satish Ullal and his Team presented the Guru puja while Ramanand Belapu conducted the programme and Vice President Pravin Attavar Couple sat on the pedestal on behalf of all the devotees to receive the puja formalities. All the above were honoured for their deeds by the President of BDNE.
The Maha Mangalaarathi started at around 8 pm until 8.30 pm with distribution of Maha Prasadha. All the devotees returned home attaining blessings from Guru and grace of Lord.