Auckland Temple Opening 2004

Auckland Temple Opening January 16th - 17th -18th 2004
updated 5th May 2004

Friday 16th January @ the olde temple

Friday @ the new temple for sankalpa and the Official opening and installation of the Chakra and later placing on the roof:

devotees waiting outside main entrance for procedings to begin.

Kalasamvara prabhu's water fountain feature

Hari Sauri prabhu ACBSP and former Auckland TP and former Gurukul head master Bhava prabhu TKG

the Purna Kumbha comes out from the temple to begin the sankalpa, swasti vachan, dristi-nirbaranam (breaking coconuts and dispelling of the symbolic burning effigy of inauspiciousness personified in a straw man and dumping him away from the project by an uninitiated helper)

Sri Sriyuts Ramai maharaj, Prabhavishnu maharaj and Devamrita maharaj officially open the temple doors for devotees to enter

Jaya Tirtha Charan dasa explains the procedures of events to come to the devotees present

preparations for the installation of the Sudarshan waters that will bathe the kalash etc on the roof, and bathe the Deities the next day, the Sudarshan Tattwa yajna and avahan for installing Sudarshan into the chakra.

the chakra, the waters and the yajna pit were all bound together with red thread signifying the unified purpose of invoking Sudarshan there.

Prabhavishnu swami performing the Vishvakshena puja to remove all obstacles as we begin the ceremonies

more cameras than a Tokyo convention........

devotees taking a few moments to orient themselves before the pujas begin

JTCd guiding Hari Sauri prabhu through the invoking of Sudarshan into the waters, and then into the chakra and offering various upacharas during the puja

JTCd assisted by Sridam prabhu from CHCH performing various nyasa homas to invoke Sudarshan

Sridam prabhu offering lamps to the fire and to the Sudarshan chakra being simultaneously installed

Sridam prabhu performing Sudarshan tatha homa and tattwa homa

Kalasamvara prabhu ACBSP one of the project directors

devotees offering grain samaghris into the fire

Gaura Nataraj prabhu and Kalas'

Kalas', Indradyumna swami, Atmarama prabhu ACBSP (TP Sydney) and Dina Bandhu prabhu the artist who painted the pictures on the roof.

JTCd shows Indradyumna swami the Salagram he carries around his neck, and some katha is relished......

among the gifts given to devotees were commemorative beadbags, key rings, anga-vaastras (chaddas), and souvenir magazines .................

lots of old friends meeting up............Sitarani dd (Katikati - Tauranga), Ramila dd (Christchurch) and Bhakti Marga dd (Auckland & Katikati)

all devotees, big and not so tall................

Indradyumna swami leads kirtan as the party climbes to the top of the Shikhara to place the kalash, the flag (dhwaj) and chakra.

Ramai swami up the ladder on onto the roof.....

Devamrita swami goes up too...... Kalas' at the bottom ready to go up.........

looking at the kalash

about to place the flag

placing the flag

followed by requesting the Dhwaj to stay there (pratistha), bathing and anointing with chandan etc, through nyasa and worshipping with five articles.

placing the installed chakra onto the top of the shikhara

offering the various articles; chandan, kumkum, sugandam pushpam, incense, camphor lamp, naivedya food stuffs.

bathing the flag and kalash in Sudarshan protective waters

above the temple room

all domes were previously kept covered until the day of the opening - unvieling - bathing.........

one shot from round the other side showing the downstairs prasadam and community hall, kitchens, and festival prasadam tents to left

unvieling the dome above the templeroom

unvieling and bathing the dome above where Srila Prabhupad sits

more to come...........

Janananda prabhu ACBSP the MC in the prasadam tent leading the devotees in Prasada sevaya prayers