Mumbai: While the city's pubs, hotels, clubs were filled on Wednesday evening with bon vivants who partied to usher in the New Year, many others sought to spend New Year's Eve in spiritual contemplation.
New Year Mass at Cathedral of the Holy Name Focuses on Blessings and Peace
At the Shree Siddhivinayak Ganpati temple in Prabhadevi, thousands joined the queue to have a darshan of the deity in the early hours of the first day of the year. The temple opened its doors at 3.15 am on January 1. Except for short breaks during the day for mahapuja, a naivedhya and aarti, devotees thronged the sanctum for darshan till 11.30 pm on Thursday.
At the Cathedral of the Holy Name, Colaba, Archbishop John Rodrigues celebrated the New Year's mass on Wednesday evening. The service included an opening prayer invoking the Holy Trinity and acknowledging sins. The archbishop delivered a homily on the symbolism of 'open hands' for receiving blessings, gratitude, and generosity in the new year. The service also touched on the World Day of Peace and Pope Leo's call for disarming peace. Consecration and communion were followed by a closing address from Father Constantio who extended New Year wishes and thanked participants and organisers. The service ended with a final blessing for the congregation.
Gurudwaras in Navi Mumbai Host Massive Gurbani Kirtan Samagam for 50,000 Devotees
In Navi Mumbai, the Supreme Council Navi Mumbai Gurudwarass and Dashmesh Charitable Trust celebrated and welcomed the New Year with a gurbani kirtan samagam at the Tandel Ground, Nerul. The three-day meet, which concluded in the evening of January 1, brought nearly 50,000 devotees from different faiths. Various sangats and managing committees of gurudwaras in Navi Mumbai, Mumbai, Raigad, Thane, Dombivali, Kalyan, and Ulhasnagar, participated in the event. Meher Singh Randhawa, one of the organisers, said that the purpose of the spiritual gathering was to occupy young people in seva and kirtan.
As part of the New Year celebration, Sri Sankara Mattham, Matunga, conducted Viswa Shanti Homam including Atharvaseera Maha Ganapathi homam, Lakshmi Kubera homam, Nakshatra Shanti homam and Navagraha Shanti homam on the New Year day. The rituals were done for the benefit of all and for universal peace and happiness. A large number of devotees participated, despite the rain in the early morning, said a spokesperson for the Mattham.
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