The year 2017 marks 5th anniversary of Shree Swaminarayan Temple Los Angeles. To celebrate Pancham (5th) Patotsav disciples of S.S.S.S. Mandal West Coast has organized 2-day festival. His Divine Holiness Acharya Swamishree blessed West Coast Mandal with his presence along with 27 eminant Sants.
Festival began on Sunday 2nd July 2017 in the afternoon with Samuh Parayan Poojan. Parayan Poojan followed with scripture recitals of Shree Abji Bapashree ni Vaato. Devotees performed Aarti at the end of the parayan Poojan. Acharya Swamishree then performed sandhya aarti, and everyone performed evening niyams & Mahaprasad was then served to all. In the evening, Acharya Swamishree, sants, and disciples congregated in Temple Hall for a samuh raas celebration to please Lord Swaminaryanbapa Swamibapa. Acharya Swamishree was seated on a beautifully decorated chariot as sants and disciples joyfully danced to kirtan around Him. After Samuh Raas, Sants and disciples also danced on the tunes of Timani, a famous folk dance form from Panchmahal, that Acharya Swamishree & Sants got fond of during their vicharan earlier in the year. Evening concluded with Slideshow presentation of the activities & events that were celebrated and organized by West Coast Mandal. Sants and disciples truly had a memorable evening dancing to traditional kirtans to please Lord Swaminarayanbapa Swamibapa.
Monday 3rd July 2017 was the 5th Patotsav of Shree Swaminarayan Temple Los Angeles. After Mangla aarti and niyam, Acharya Swamishree did ‘Dhvaj’ (Flag) Poojan. The flags of the temple were also changed and raised to mark the temple entering its sixth year. From 8:30 am, Acharya Swamishree performed the 5th Patotsav vidhi ceremony to the divine murtis (idols) of Lord Shree Swaminarayan, Jeevanpran Shree Abji Bapashree, and Jeevanpran Shree Muktajeevan Swamibapa. During the ceremony, Acharya Swamishree performed the auspicious shodshopchaar poojan. Sants and disciples had assembled a grand annkut with a variety of Indian sweets and delicacies before the divine murtis. Acharya Swamishree offered these sweets to the Lord. Acharya Swamishree and sants then performed aarti to Lord Swaminarayanbapa Swamibapa, and disciples were then given the opportunity to perform aarti as well.
Sant mandal and disciples also used this congregation to celebrate Gurupoornima since Actual Day of Ashad sud poonam was just a few days away. Acharya Swamishree performed poojan by offering Garland and Dhotiya to Gururaj Jeevanpran Shree Muktajeevan Swamibapa. Acharya Swamishree subsequently showered His divine blessings upon the entire congregation. Mahaprasad was then served to all.