Report and pics Rons Banwal, Mumbai

Mumbai, Feb 9: The Shanimahatma Seva Samiti at Jawahar Nagar, Saibaba Road, Khar East here, recently celebrated its 39 th anniversary Shanishwara pooja on a grand scale.

The Sri Shanishwara Grantha Parayana commenced on Saturday February 4, with the Gana Homa, Sri Satyanarayana pooja.  Free food was also given to the public.

On Sunday February 5, the anniversary celebration was held at the Billavara Bhavana at Santacruz East.  Kumara Bangera, convenor, Mumbai News Association, was the chief guest.

L V Amin, president, BJP South India unit, Narayan B Kukkian, social worker and Devdas P Salian, stage director were the guests of honour, who gave away prizes to the winning members and their children.

Shankar Suvarna, president, Seva Samiti, welcomed the gathering. Yogesh Hejmadi, honorary chief secretary and Harishchandra Shetty, compered the programme.  Bhoja C Poojary, read out the committee’s annual report.  Nagesh G Suvarna, treasurer, rendered the vote of thanks. 

Present on the dais were R D Kotian, vice-president, Yogesh Shenoy, working president, Purandardas Shetty, Raghu Kotian, Nagesh Suvarna, Dhananjaya Amin and other office-bearers.

‘Seetapaharana’, a humour-filled harikatha, was presented by Surendra Kumar Marnad and Pushparaj Rai.  The children of the members presented cultural events and filmi dances.  The Sri Gurunarayana Yakshagana Mandali presented ‘Sri Kateelu Kshetra Mahatme’.