Source: Mercury News
http://www.mercurynews.com/valley/ci_11862615
It's not every day you get to breathe life into a god in a room full of others from your hometown — a mere 8,000 miles across the globe.
"This is a once-in-a-lifetime event," said Pratik Mishra, 15, who attends St. Francis High School in Mountain View. "This is a big deal."
The big deal was a cultural and consecration ceremony this weekend at the Fremont Hindu Temple and Cultural Center. On Saturday, priests chanted ancient prayers, and the day before had sprinkled clarified butter onto flames, in a ritual many believe turned a deity called Lord Jagannath into a living god — one of 330 million in the Hindu religion, a number that represents that God is everywhere. The smell of smoke still lingered outside the temple.
Crowds ranging from 250 to 1,000 people have been gathering at the Bay Area's oldest Hindu temple since Tuesday, placing coconuts and fruit before the statue of Lord Jagannath, while also bathing him, brushing his teeth and putting him to sleep. He is considered to be "lord of the universe" and his wide-open eyes indicate to believers that he can see all things. The English term "juggernaut" comes from his Sanskrit name.
"We grew up with religion and spirituality at home," said Kashinath Mitra, 52, who was born in Orissa on the eastern coast of India, where the holiest Indian temple dedicated to Jagannath resides. "This event kindles that. This reminds you of being a child and going to the temple. It reminds you of the good old days."