CHINO HILLS, CA (TIP): Over 2,000 participants. 108 sacred fire pits. 15,000 recitations of the Hanuman Chalisa. Six hours of continuous devotion. And over thousands of meals served.
These were among the grand numbers behind a day of devotion on September 5, when Chinmaya Mission Los Angeles (CMLA) hosted the Shri Hanuman Chalisa Samashti Havan, bringing together devotees from across Southern California.
Part of worldwide celebrations marking the 75th anniversary of Chinmaya Mission, known as Chinmaya Amrit Mahotsav, the event paid tribute to Lord Hanuman, revered as an embodiment of selfless service and devotion. It also brought together members of the Indian American community representing a range of organizations, gathering under the umbrella of CMLA for collective prayer, fellowship, and a celebration of their shared cultural and spiritual heritage.
The day began before the first havan participant arrived. At dawn, volunteers and priests transported a splendidly bejeweled Panchamukha Hanuman deity in procession from its temple home in Torrance, CA. Installed at the havan site as the presiding deity, the idol served as the spiritual focal point for the day.
Swami Swaroopananda, head of Chinmaya Mission Worldwide, presided alongside Swami Shantananda, president of Chinmaya West. The morning also brought together other spiritual and community leaders and elected officials.
Congressman Dave Min (D-CA-47), the guest of honor, offered a short address focusing on diversity as a bedrock principle of American society. Connecting his remarks to the event’s central theme, ‘samashti,’ meaning “collective” or “whole,” Min, sporting a tilak and mala, spoke about harmony and referenced Lord Shiva and condoled the pilgrims who lost their lives in the horrific Nepal flood.
Among the other distinguished guests were Irvine Council Member Melinda Liu, Artesia Council Member Zeel Ahir and Consul Kulwant Singh of the Indian Consulate in Los Angeles.
CMLA is also marking 30 years under the leadership of Swami Ishwarananda. During that time, he has helped expand the center’s activities and community role, including its Sunday Bala Vihar program, which currently serves approximately 1,000 children. A laudatory message recognizing Swami Ishwarananda’s service from U.S. Senator Adam Schiff and a Certificate of Congressional Recognition from California Congresswoman Young Kim (R-CA-40) were given to him.
The dignitaries presented commemorative plaques to Swami Swaroopananda, who then addressed the gathering in loving tones. He explained the spiritual significance of the occasion and shared a traditional account that Lord Shiva was so pleased with Sant Tulsidas’ ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ that he gave a blessing: one who chants the ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ 100 times will attain life’s goals, and all bondage and limitations will come to an end.
Swami Swaroopananda also shared a statistic from the worldwide anniversary celebration: the ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ has been chanted approximately 550 million times through the auspices of Chinmaya Mission.
The Havan ceremony was conducted in four batches throughout the day. Fifteen minutes before their assigned hour, ushers led each group into the main Havan arena, where 108 fire pits had been arranged in a precise grid. Fresh fuel bricks and ceremonial materials – including ghee, flowers, rice, sandalwood paste, and Kumkum – were placed at each station.
As instructions appeared on large LED screens, volunteers lit all 108 fires. Neither the afternoon heat nor swirling winds carrying smoke across the arena dampened the atmosphere. The collective chanting of the ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ instead grew louder and more focused with each repetition.
Children from the Chinmaya Bala Vihar program also joined the chanting. With animated images of Lord Hanuman displayed on the large screens, the children recited the sacred verses composed by poet-saint Goswami Tulsidas from the stage, their voices carrying across the grounds.
Between Havan sessions, attendees visited exhibition booths representing CMLA’s seven regional centers across Southern California, including centers in Orange, Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties. The booths illustrated verses from the ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ and offered activities for children, including games, face painting and henna. Displays traced CMLA’s history in Southern California, while a bookstore offered publications ranging from children’s stories to advanced Vedantic texts.
A prominent exhibit presented the life story of Chinmaya Mission founder Swami Chinmayananda through large vertical visual panels. Many attendees stopped to view the display and take photographs.
After their havan session, participants were guided to the dining area, where they received fresh boxed mahaprasad before making way for the next group.
After the final batch completed its chants, the day concluded with a mahaaarati. Swami Ishwarananda closed the gathering by expressing gratitude to those who attended, with particular appreciation for the CMLA volunteers whose tireless service brought the day’s celebration of faith, unity, and community spirit to life.
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