On Wednesday evening, Oct. 13, Wagner College’s religious community participated in the installation of an altar in the Kairos House chapel dedicated to the elephant-headed god Ganesh, a Hindu deity known as the destroyer of barriers. Around 40 students, faculty and community members from various religious backgrounds gathered for the installation.
Dhira Chaitanya, a priest from the Staten Island Hindu Temple, presided over the Hindu worship service, conducted in Sanskrit, to invoke Sri Ganesha. After a purification ritual, he presented offerings of water, incense and food, singing a hymn reciting the 108 names of the deity. Following the service, the food offerings were shared with all in attendance as part of the blessing.
The installation of the Ganesh alter was the fruit of two years of conversation about creating a Hindu presence at Wagner College. Chaplain Richard F. Michael, who is also the pastor of Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in Stapleton, Staten Island, is actively involved in promoting the interfaith dialogue at the college and in the larger community. He believes the addition of the Hindu worship space in the Kairos House chapel will enrich the lives of all Wagner students.
“Campus ministry should offer a place where every student finds support for the practice of their faith, as well as the freedom to ask questions and find out about other faiths,” he said.
The chapel continues to host services for Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish and Muslim students and faculty.
Hindu altar installed in Kairos House chapel
October 14, 2010
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