Sri Vageesha Priyah eSouvenir May 2014 | Seite 292

Thus, two major accomplishments, namely finding an Aradhaka and having received and
consecrated the dolai vigraham, had been achieved. However, our problems were still not over. We
had to find/make a box(es) to transport the mantapam and to modify the hardware such that the
dolai mantapam could be made portable and assembled easily. These two tasks had to be completed
by July 7 which was the date I had booked our travel back to US. I had discovered by this time, that
the sthapati had unfortunatey built the mantapam a half an inch or so taller. As a result, it could not
be fitted into a standard size suitcase that can be checked as baggage on an Airline. Any size larger
would go beyond the limits set by Airlines. After a week of unsuccessful suitcase hunting, almost as
if by a miracle, I found two suit cases that appeared to be close to what I was looking for. These
were lying in the attic at a relative’s house. She had bought these hardcase luggage more than forty
years ago in Canada and after returning to India never had a need to use them. I still had to try
placing the dolai mantapam pieces in them to see whether they would fit but for this, I had to wait
till Acharya returned from Hyderabad. I also had to wait that long before I could look into some way
of modifying the hardware so that we could assemble the dolai quickly and easily on site. Thus
began another week of anxious waiting.
Acharya returned to Bangalore on July 1 (I think). We got the dolai mantapam to our house in a
hurry and tried to fit the components in to the two suitcases. To our utter relief, the pieces fitted
perfectly inside the two boxes. Each box was light enough for even me to carry easily. The final task
to be completed was the modification of the hardware. Several of us racked our heads for a few days
and finally came up with a very simple modification of the existing bolts and clamps. We took them
to a local machine shop where they rebuilt them within an hour while we waited. Thus everything
was set and ready to go. That same night I and my wife left for Boston carrying with us the two dolai
cases which could be checked in as free baggage on our flight. I requested Acharya to take Perumal
with him to Mysore and perform nitya Aradhanam and shravana Tirumanjanam for some time with
his own hands. Acharya very kindly agreed to take Perumal with him. Perumal was finally brought to
US by my daughter-in-law and grandson when they returned to US later in August. My grandson,
who had recently become a brahmachari received Perumal, Bhagavad Ramanuja and Swamy
Deshikan all in a samputam personally from the diva hasta of the Acharya at Mysore. He handcarried PerumAl’s samputam all the way from Bangalore to Boston.
PerumAl arrived in our house on Wednesday August 17, 2011. Sri Varadraja Bhattar arrived on the
same day from Rochester NY. Thursday, he performed a laghu samprokshanam to Perumal . Next
day, Friday August 19, 2011, Sri Lakshmi Haygreeva and Parivaram began their first dolai sancharam
across the US. The rest is all a pure success story. The first-ever two-month long Dolai sancharam of
Sri Lakshmi Hayagreeva in the US covered several states from New Hampshire to Georgia, and New
York to Washington State, and visited over a dozen cities. It successfully concluded on Monday
November 14, 2011 with a grand Tirumanjanam and Hayagreeva Homam celebration at Sri
Ranganatha Temple at Pomona NY. A large number of extremely committed volunteers all across the
US, strived hard to make this tour a resounding success by hosting Perumal and Aradhaka, and
providing transportation for them within the city and between cities for the Dolai entourage. The
sancharam was marked by overwhelming devotion and enthusiasm with which Sri Lakshmi
Hayagreeva was received at the homes of over 60 devotees to celebrate tirumanjanams and dolais.
These functions were very well participated by an average of 30-40 devotees at each function. In
addition to functions at individual homes, there were two temple celebrations one at Albany NY and
the other at Pomona NY; and a major public event at Charlotte NC, and even a tiruveedi utsavam in
Seattle. These functions were attended by hundreds of devotees. Our Aradhaka Sri Varadaraja
Bhattar accompanied Sri LakShmi Hayagreeva and His ParivAram consisting of Sri Shathaari,
Bhagavad Ramanuja and Sri Nigamantha Mahadeshikan during this Tour, rendering valuable
kainkaryams such as tirumanjanams, dolotsavams, akSharAbhyAsams for children, etc. His devotion
to his kainkaryam and his pleasant manners and amicability won him every one’s admiration.
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