TAX ID #
25-1584149
Shirdi Sai Saba Temple
Pittsburgh, PA
Significance of Praying Goddess Annapoorna:
Annapoorna Jayanti is an ancient festival that celebrates the importance of food. The day commemorates the birth anniversary of Devi Annapoorna, the Goddess of nourishment. Goddess Annapoorna is an incarnation of Goddess Parvati. Annapoorna Jayanti falls on the ‘Purnima’ of the ‘Margasira’ masa.
Devotees perform puja annually on this day and extend their gratitude for showering them with food by worshiping the kitchen, stove, etc., and pray that there is never any shortage of money and food grains in the house and the grace of the goddess be upon us.
When there was a food shortage on the earth, Mother Parvati appeared in the form of Mother Annapoorna, the goddess of food, and protected the people by providing food on the planet. Mother Annapoorna was born on the full moon day of Margasira month. Annapoorna Jayanti is celebrated on the day of Margasira Purnima. On Margasira Purnima, Tripura Bhairavi Jayanti and Dattatreya Jayanthi are also celebrated. The donation given today has special significance.
Goddess Annapoorna is usually worshipped every day at home. On Annapoorna Jayanti, devotees, especially women, keep a day-long fast, pray to the Mother Goddess, and break it only at night after performing the shodashopachar puja, which includes 16 rituals.
Story of Goddess Annapoorna:
Goddess Annapoorna emphasizes the importance of food in one's life. One day, Lord Shiva and Parvati had a debate on materialism. Lord Shiva believed that everything material was just an illusion, including food. Goddess Parvati opined otherwise. The Mother Goddess believed that food is essential for survival and cannot be an illusion. Enraged by Lord Shiva's comment, Goddess Parvati disappeared, and her absence led to famine. All forms of life on earth suffered due to lack of food. Thus, Lord Shiva realized the importance of food and headed to Varanasi, the only place where food was available. He visited Goddess Annapoorna's kitchen with a begging bowl in his hand. And the Goddess was none other than his consort, Parvati.
Lord Shiva appeared as a beggar with a begging bowl after a massive famine hit the world. Therefore, Goddess Parvati took the avatar of Annapoorna to shower the earth with food.
There are various temples dedicated to Goddess Annapoorna in India. Devotees pay an ode to the Goddess Annapoorna, also referred to as Annapurni. They express their gratitude and seek her blessings for showering them with food.
Annapoorna Jayanthi Full Sponsorship - $126
Prasadam: Annapoorna Vigraham & Raksha
Annapoorna Abhishekam - $54
Annapoorna Homam - $54
Annapoorna Archana - $18
Annapoorna Sahasranam - $36
Margasira Poornima - Annapoorna Jayanthi
There is never a shortage of food and water in the house that worships Mother Annapoorna.