Brussels (Belgium) will have full-night Mata Jagran on October 1 in 2011 performed by Denmark Durga Bhajan Mandli.
Besides free entrance, snacks and drinks will also be provided free to attendees at the “Vishal Bhagwati Jagran”, which starting with puja at 09-30 pm, will continue throughout the night. Offered by India Cultural Centre (ICC) ASBL of Brussels, its main organizers include Shyam Verma, Tripta Mehta, Ashwani Kumar, Kanta Sikhri, Ashwani Sood, Kanta Odiado, Shiv Sanan and Ramesh Sanan.
Jagran consists of all night worship of mother goddess Durga, when devotees stay up all night worshipping and singing her prayers, which are usually led by a bhajan mandli. Starting late evening with invoking Lord Ganesh, it ends in the early hours of morning with serving of prasad (usually consisting of halwa and cooked-salted gram).
ICC is also planning a Hindu temple in Brussels and raising funds for it and asking for donations. It has held mata jagrans and Ramayan paths in the past.
Meanwhile, Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, applauded efforts of temple leaders and Brussels area community for organizing the Jagran and working towards the Hindu temple.
Rajan Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, further said that it was important to pass on Hindu spirituality, concepts and traditions to coming generations amidst so many distractions in the consumerist society and hoped that this future temple complex would focus in this direction. Zed stressed that instead of running after materialism; we should focus on inner search and realization of Self and work towards achieving moksh (liberation), which was the goal of Hinduism.
Anil Gurnani, Ravindra Pal Aneja, Shyam Verma and Ashwani Sood Bawa are President, Vice President, General Secretary and Treasurer respectively of ICC.
Hinduism, oldest and third largest religion of the world, has about one billion adherents.
Settled in 580 CE, capital of Belgium, Brussels is described by Lonely Planet as: “a city of fine food, café culture, Art Nouveau architecture and the surreal”. It is known for its Grand Place, Musées Royaux des Beaux-Arts, Musée Bruxellois de la Gueuze, Manneken Pis, pageants/parades, waffle and chocolate. Charles Picqué is the Minister-President of the Government of the Brussels-Capital Region, which hosts the headquarters of the European Union and North Atlantic Treaty Organization.