The Satya Narayana Temple of Elmhurst, NY celebrated Dussehra, a festival that symbolizes the triumph of good over evil, on Thursday, October 02, 2025, marking an end to the nine-day Navratri festival (September 22 to October 2) and Vijayadashami marking the end of the festival.
People flocked to the temple every day for Nava Durga Puja and Vijayadashami celebrations. Members of the Nepali community celebrated their Dashain festivities, also known as Vijayadashami, with Tika and Jamara ceremony at the temple. Vidyarambham and Annaprashan ceremonies were also performed.
Each day of Navratri was devoted to a specific avatar of Maa Durga and devotees participated in the Puja and performed their own individual Puja of Lord Ganesh and Maa Durga by following the instructions given by the temple priests, Pundit Hemant Ramrakhyani Ji and Pundit Anand Tripathi Shastri ji.
Sponsors offered a specific bhog (meal) each day to seek blessings for health, prosperity, and spiritual well-being. Chanting of Vedic mantras, prayers, singing of aratis and bhanjans by the temple priests pervaded the air and guided devotees as they expressed their devotion and love.
On Sunday, September, 28, 2025, morning, the sacred Mata ki Chowki program was hosted during the auspicious period of Navratri. Temple priests performed the Puja of Maa Durga in her seventh form as Maa Kaalratri, the fiercest and most powerful form of Goddess Durga, by following all the Vedic Puja Paddati and chanting of Vedic mantras.
After the elaborate pujas, Vijay Banjara and Group with Indu Gajwani, sang bhajans of Maa Durga. They were joined by the devotees who sang along and clapped their hands to the beat
On September 30, 2025, the Ashtami puja was performed, followed by Kanya Pujan/Kumari Puja that holds a very special place in the festivities. It is a symbolic way of honoring the purest form of feminine energy, Shakti, the press release noted. Ashtami Havan and Purna Ahuti were also performed.
Temple president, Jagdish Kakwani appreciated the support received from sponsors/Yajmans for Navaratri Pujas and Maha Prasadam which was distributed to all the devotees. Temple priests blessed the sponsors with Mantra-pushpam and Angavastram or Chunni.
Kakwani thanked volunteers for their services and the devotees for their active participation, as well as the priests for conducting the ceremonies.
