Thousands throng Swanandashrama

Thousands of devotees of Ganesha thronged the 18th year of Ganeshotsava held at Swananda Ganapathi Ashram on Thursday.

A special Swananda magazine was released on the occasion, and annual Swananda Kalashri Awards for 2008 presented. This year's awardees are Vidwan HV Krishnamurthy (music); MR Seshadri (dance), Seshachala Sharma (painting), Mahantesh, Managing Trustee of Samarthanam Trust (social work). A special gana homa and ranga puja followed by immersion of Ganesha idol, was a part of the main ceremonies.

The organizers had organized special buses for devotees every hour from Jayanagar 5th Block.
According to officials at the ashram, the devotees have a unique opportunity here of worshipping Ganesha in His original form.

The ashram is taking up several projects of social significance. One such under consi deration is the construction of a Maha Ganapathi Panch ayatana Temple, in the Hoysala style of architecture that is prevalent in Belur and Halebid temples. In the Panch ayatana concept, the idol of Ganesha is placed at the centre, and surrounded by the idols of Sri Devi, Surya, Shiva and Vishnu. A Bala Ganapathi temple complex will house 32 different manifestations of Ganesha as conceived in the Mudgala Purana. A rest house for Sri Jagadguru Shankaracharya Sri Gangadharendra Saraswati and a multi-purpose auditorium cum library will also come up in the ashram premises.

The ashram also appealed to the public to use their lake for Ganesha immersion and avoid polluting the city's lakes.

(Sri Swanandashram: #12, Agara, Tataguni, Kanakapura Road, Bangalore South, Ph 28435853; RO/Information Centre: # 327, 36th 'A' Cross, 9th Main, 5th Block, Jayanagar, Ph 26634590.)