Source: PiloteOnline.com
http://home.hamptonroads.com/stories/story.cfm?story=100250&ran=75076
On February 27, 2006 PiloteOnline.com reported, "Worshipers sat on the floor in a yoga position, legs crossed, spines straight. Inhaling and exhaling deeply, hundreds chanted prayers for personal cleansing and world peace and offered thanks to the Creator. Sunday was the Hindu holy day Maha Shivaratri, and hundreds came to the Hindu Temple of Hampton Roads to celebrate. The holiday marks the day when the Hindu creator Shiva emerged as a pillar of light from the combination of air and fire... [Shastri Dilip Upadhyay, a priest at the temple said that] on this holiday... Hindus also pray for good power to help themselves, their families and their country... And they pray for knowledge or wisdom so they can best use their wealth and power to help the world... In the ceremonial language Sanskrit , they offered thanks for the air, the sun and life. They made offerings of flowers and fruit."