By Madhava Smullen
ISKCON of Washington D.C. held a three-day Bhumi Puja (ground-breaking) event from August 20th to 22nd, preceding a new 22,000 square-foot temple for Sri Sri Radha Madan Mohan, Sita Rama Lakshman Hanuman, and Gaura Nitai.
The event took place at the current D.C. temple property, which is situated on eleven acres of rolling wooded terrain with a creek running through it. The same property will also be home to the new temple, while the old building will be converted for other purposes.
Priests performing the Bhumi Puja ceremonies included head priest Govinda Bhakta Das from Salt Lake City, Manorama Krishna Das from Washington D.C., Gokula Madhava Das from nearby ISKCON Baltimore, and Chaitanya Bhagavan Das, who coordinated all the rituals.
The groundbreaking began on Friday with the digging of the ceremonial pit, and a large inaugural Agnihotra fire ceremony. On Saturday morning, devotees carried small Utsaha (festival) forms of ISKCON of D.C.’s presiding deities on palanquins around the temple property three times, accompanied by kirtan.
Source: https://iskconnews.org/iskcon-of-dc-performs-bhumi-puja-for-new-22000-square-foot-temple,7976/
Comments