Sarsawati puja at Lake County’s Hindu Mandir

The Hindu Mandir of Lake County performed Ma Saraswati Puja on February 2 with great religious fervor and devotional songs.

Some 130 students of different ages from the temple and other local schools participated in the puja and prayed to the Goddess of Knowledge for their academic success. Children were enthusiastic about the ceremony as they were given a special puja plate with Lord Ganesh and Ma Saraswati, Kumkum, Akshata and flowers.

Pandit Anil Joshi Ji started Lord Ganapati and Ma Saraswati puja and asked the students to perform the same in their plates along with him. All children chanted Sarswati Beej Mantra, Stotra and Vandana along with him. It was spectacular to see all the youngsters in yellow dresses, uttariya, and their chanting with utmost devotion.

Grayslake Hindu Mandir is running religious and Hindi language classes for the past four years on every 1st, 3rd and 5th Sunday of the month. The classes are organized by Sanjay and Parina Mehrotra, along with 28 dedicated teachers and 15 volunteers.

They run 14 classes for students in the group of 5 to 15 years. Bhagavatgita classes are also arranged for adults by Upadhyaya Ji. The temple is making all-out efforts to build a special connection between younger generation and the Hindu religion by teaching them all socio-cultural and spiritual values as well as languages.

According to Pandit Joshi ji, Vasant Panchami marks a glorious occasion to seek Ma Saraswati’s blessings to acquire secular and spiritual knowledge, adding that real education makes person more humble, compassionate and full of loving energy whereas knowledge makes man egoistic.

President Harsh Kumar gave vote of thanks to all the volunteers and devotees. Finally, a grand Maha Mangalarati was performed by all. After the arati, the prasad was distributed to all by Neelakanth Anand and his team.