Maha Shivarathri was celebrated with great enthusiasm and energy at the Nithyananda Vedic Temple on Feb 12, 2010. The temple welcomed hundreds of visitors throughout the night for the grand festival and offered a variety of grand events to the delight of all.  The festival included a total of five  abhishekams (holy bath) and six unique and grand alankars (decoration) known as Pancha Boota Darshan for Sri Anandeshwara.

Called “extraordinary” by many observers, participants and visitors  joyfully stayed through the night to take part in the grand celebrations, singing bhajans and enjoying cultural performances at the temple.  Each of the pancha bhoota darshans reaveled of one of the five elements: aakasha tatwa (ether), vaayu tatwa (wind), agni tatwa, (fire), jala tatwa (water), prithvi tatwa (earth). Sri Nithya Bhaktapriyananda Maharaj gave lively and engaging temple talks on the significance of the festival as well as each of the different alankars.

Celebrations began as early as 7:00 am Friday morning, February 12,  and concluded the following morning, February 13, at 7:00am.  In addition to the grand abhishekam and alankar,  devotees and visitors also enjoyed a variety of cultural performances, live bhajans, chanting, a rudra homa,  Maha Aarthi and Maha Prasad.  See video coverage.

 Following are pictures from this grand event at the Nithyananda Vedic Temple.