Report by Ronald D.F. D’Souza – Daijiworld Media Network
(Input by Kamalaksha Amin)
Bahrain, Sep 24: Guru Seva Samithi of The Billava Association, Bahrain celebrated 154th birthday of BRAHMA SHRI NARAYANA GURU at Krishna Temple in Manama, Bahrain.
The celebration was commenced with Guru Pooja and Satyanarayana Pooja and was conducted by Shri Devadas Shanti, the visiting Hindu priest from Shri Vishwanath Kshetra in Katpady, Udupi District. The priest brought along famous flowers like Jasmine from Udupi to decorate the temple.
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The entrance was decorated with Banana trees and Mango leaves to give a look of home-land. The Bhajana Mandali of Riffa, dressed in traditional costumes for the occasion sang the bhajans. Mrs. Vasundara Shetty, wife of H. E. Balakrishna Shetty, the Indian Ambassador to Bahrain graced the occasion. Also high dignitaries from various Indian associations and clubs attended the programme. A vast number of over 600 devotees attended the poojas and received the Prasad. Mr. Pandurang Bhat the senior community leader from South Kanara felicitated the priest with a shawl and fruits and the President of Billava Guru Seva Samithi, Raja Kumar presented a memento on this occasion.
Shanker Jathanna was kind enough to provide the priest with accommodation and other arrangements. Anil Shetty provided assistance for conducting the poojas.
Though we are miles always from our home land, our traditions and cultures are kept alive by such programmes.