Visitors crossed through the doors of the St. Louis BAPS Mandir to celebrate Diwali and the Hindu New Year of the Vikram era. In adherence to one of the traditional manners of celebrating New Year�s Day, the members of the BAPS Mandir prepared an Annakut placed before the idols installed in the Mandir. The singing of Thaals opened the offering of Annakut.
Maharaj�s Shihasan was decorated as an old-style hut (Jupdi) with real wood and hay. Also Pramukh Swami Maharaj�s idol was put on bullock cart with an old style bed (Khatlo) and real trees. Katherin Bish, a photographer for The St. Louis Post Dispatch and St. Louis Magazine, said, �as soon as I walked into your temple I saw your Guru�s photo and felt like He was a real person present and looking at me. During my photograph sessions I sensed that He was telling me how to take pictures and it looked like He was posing for me. I saw real divinity.�