More than 2,000 devotees from across Southern California gathered on September 5 for a large-scale spiritual celebration hosted by Chinmaya Mission Los Angeles (CMLA). The Shri Hanuman Chalisa Samashti Havan brought together community members for six hours of prayer, chanting, fellowship and devotion, with 108 sacred fire pits used during the ceremony.
The event formed part of Chinmaya Mission’s worldwide observance of its 75th anniversary, known as Chinmaya Amrit Mahotsav. Dedicated to Lord Hanuman, the gathering highlighted ideals of devotion and selfless service while creating a shared space for members of the Indian American community and participating organizations to celebrate their spiritual and cultural traditions.
The day began with a procession carrying a richly decorated Panchamukha Hanuman deity from its temple in Torrance, California. Volunteers and priests brought the idol to the Havan venue at dawn, where it was installed as the presiding deity and became the central spiritual focus of the celebration.
Swami Swaroopananda, head of Chinmaya Mission Worldwide, presided over the event alongside Swami Shantananda, president of Chinmaya West. Several community leaders and elected officials also attended, including Congressman Dave Min, who served as guest of honor. In his remarks, Min discussed diversity and harmony, connecting those themes with the meaning of “samashti,” which refers to the collective or the whole.
Other guests included Irvine Council Member Melinda Liu, Artesia Council Member Zeel Ahir and Consul Kulwant Singh of the Indian Consulate in Los Angeles. The gathering also recognized Swami Ishwarananda, who is completing 30 years of leadership at CMLA. Under his guidance, the center’s community activities have expanded, including its Bala Vihar program, which now serves about 1,000 children.
The Havan was organized in four batches. Each group entered an arena where 108 fire pits had been carefully arranged, with participants provided traditional offerings such as ghee, flowers, rice, sandalwood paste and Kumkum. Guided by instructions displayed on LED screens, devotees conducted the ceremony while collectively reciting the Hanuman Chalisa.
Children from Bala Vihar participated as well, reciting the verses by Goswami Tulsidas from the stage. Across the event, participants completed approximately 15,000 recitations.
Between sessions, attendees explored exhibitions featuring CMLA’s seven regional centers, historical displays, children’s activities and publications. The program concluded with mahaaarati, followed by gratitude from Swami Ishwarananda to devotees and volunteers whose service helped bring the large community celebration together.
