7HPSOH+RXUV :HHNGD\V WRQRRQ HCS FOCUS 6DWXUGD\ WRQRRQ QG6DWXUGD\ 9ROXPH,VVXH 1)UHQFK5RDG*HW]YLOOH1< WR SP $XJXVW6HSWHPEHU Mailing Address: P.O. Box 837 • Getzville, NY 14068 6XQGD\ WRSP Phone: (716) 688-2460 :HEVLWHZZZKFVZQ\QHW $OO(YHQLQJV WR SP “HAPPINESS IS NOT BASED ON POSSESSIONS, POWER OR PRESTIGE, BUT ON RELATIONSHIPS WITH PEOPLE YOU LOVE AND RESPECT.”
Committee([HFXWLYH&RPPLWWHH Members : 2018 Krishan Janamashami Ganesh Chaturthi PRESIDENT:3RVLWLRQ DR. KISHORE1DPH 3KRQH1R DIVAN 3UHVLGHQW 716-689-2362.DLODVK/DOO VICE-PRESIDENT: DR. BINDUKUMAR NAIR 9LFH3UHVLGHQW716 400-4599.LVKRUH'LYDQ TREASURER: MR. RAJEN MEHTA 5HOLJLRXV6HF\1HHODP&KDWUDWK 716-823-7625 GEN,7UHDVXUHU SECRETARY: DR. VIJAYARAGHAVAN9LQRG&KDKDO CHAKRAVARTY 716-208-4420 RELIGIOUS*HQHUDO AFFAIRS: MRS.5DM%DQVDO NEELAM CHATRATH 6HFUHWDU\ 6HFUHWDU\RI 716 689-73816LEX1DLU YOUTH
,QFRUSRUDWHGXQGHU6HFWLRQRIWKH1RWIRUSURILW&RUSRUDWLRQ/DZRIWKH6WDWHRI1HZ * Incorporated under Section 405 of the Not-for-profit Corporation Law of the State of New York HCS Education and Cultural Corner: Lord Krishna’s DWARKA: where Mythology meets Reality: DWARKA means ‘gateway to Heaven’. Mahabharata says that Dwarka had royal palaces, all constructed with crystal and silver and decorated with emeralds. The city was connected by an elaborate system of boulevards, roads, market places, assembly houses and temples. These legends have been etched into the Indian minds for so long that their authenticity is not questioned. Luckily, due to the grace of the marine archaeological department of India, the childhood stories have come to be a reality to a great extent. Marine archaeological explorations have thrown light on a number of structures of different shapes, stone anchors and other artefacts. The exploration has found sandstone walls, a grid of streets and remains of a sea port, some 70 feet beneath the sea. The evidence points to the fact of the existence of a city some 9,000 years ago. According to them this was one of the most important and busy ports during Puranic and historical periods. The detailed exploration and excavation of this sunken city was started in 1988 with certain goals and results in mind: The explorations were extended up to the Temple of Samudra Narayan (Sea God), which is at the confluence of the Gomti River with the sea, in order to trace the extent of the port city and the purpose behind the massive stone walls built on the banks of the ancient Gomati River. Whether the architectural features were in conformity to the ones described in Mahabharat. 1. Pillars of the ancient city of Dwarka 2. Digitized image of the sunken city of Dwarka Ganesh Chaturthi and the Significance of Ganesh Visarjan: Ganesh Chaturthi falls on the fourth day after the new moon in the month of Bhadrapada. It is celebrated for 11 days, with the biggest spectacle taking place on the last day. People bring home clay Ganapatis (beautifully crafted by artisans) and set up on their altar. It is believed during these 10 days of puja, the deity is invoked as the harbinger of good luck, success and prosperity. Devotees bring Lord Ganesh home so that he can bless them and celebrate his homecoming with much grandeur. On the 11th day, called Anant Chaturdashi day, or Ganesh Visarjan day, Ganapati is taken in a procession (with pomp and splendor) for immersion in a body of water (river, lake or ocean). Lord Ganapati is believed to leave for Mount Kailasha along with all the misfortunes of his devotees and shower blessings on them. The devotees then are able to channel their devotion and prayer before the deity returns back. This practice also serves as a subtle reminder to the devotee about the transitory nature of life and how our physical form is returned to the elements after death. Ganapati bapa Moriya, Mangal murthi Moriya ………… * Incorporated under Section 405 of the Not-for-profit Corporation Law of the State of New York FivePillarsforSuccessfortheHinduCulturalSocietyͲHCSTrustCommittee2018 1. APillarthatincludesallcommunitymembersincluding2ndgenerationmembers,Youngerfamilies,SeniorCitizens andstudentsthatCreatesacultureof“Us”,PromotingUnityinDiversitybyCelebratingallmajoreventsatHCSwith HCSactivelypromotingitinallgroups. CommunityopportunitiesͲHinduSummerCamp,SummerFestival/Bazaar,MeditationHall,Academicrectory, Walkathon,FarmersMarket,TempleRestaurant,HinduYagnashala/Wedding/BanquetHall,Picnic Shelter,Yoga,MeditationRetreats,AkhandKirtanRetreats,InvitingdignitariesoftheHindufaithfromallgroups ,TempleServices/GiftShop,,VedicHomes,Gurukul/AshramProgram/GuestHouses/Dorms EngagingchildrenandYoungadultswithanenergeticEnglishspeakingPriestwellversedinaspectsofBhakti,Jnana andKarmapaths,Gardenofgratitude,Art,Music,Languageclasses,Children’shealthsafetyday,Hiking, Volleyball/BocceBallonlocation.InvolvingchildrenandYoungadultsincommunityorientedserviceactivities providingmealstothehomelessandthedestitute,computerandEnglishliteracyskillstoimmigrantfamilies,clothing andfooddrivesetc FurtherBeautifyingthetemplewithakeeneyeonIndianaestheticsincludingouterbrickwall/stonewallwith authenticIndianartscarvingsandamainfocusondailycleanliness WelcomeWagontogreetnewcomersintheCommunityandarevampedWebsite. 2. AsecondPillarwhereManagementisdrivenonthebasisofaccountability,clarityincommunicationand transparency PersonalAccountabilityamongstExecutiveandTrustCommitteemembersintheirrolesandresponsibilities asstipulatedintheconstitution TransparencyviaasecuredatabasewithfullaccesstoEC/TCmembersforfactͲbaseddecisionmaking. Clearcommunicationchannels(inthetemple,website,Focus,emailsandfacebook/Socialmedia)and assignedmembersthatleadeverytouchpointanddeliverapreparedmessage. CalendarizationofallEC&TCmeetings(andjointmeetings)forreadoutsandprogressupdates AccountabilityMetricsforExecutiveteamandtheTrustTeam 3.AthirdPillarCreatingengagementwiththeWNYcommunity&Drivinganorganizationalmindsetsynergisticwith HinduIdeals HCSshallbeviewedasaLeaderwithallmajororganizations.Mindfulnessinresourceusage(power,ͲSolar Panels,sustainabilityefforts)withGuidedTours/AudioTours Supportthemembersthathaveadireneedforwhichpredeterminedcriterionsarealreadyagreedupon WithaCommunityKitchen 4.ThefourthpillarBudgetingforlongtermassetgrowthversuscurrentyearcost/expensemanagementideologyalone Efforts/Revenuedrivenbythebroaderbaseofsustainablesupportersratherthanfewgenerousdonorsonly IdentifyingkeyprojectsthatenergizesthecommunityaboutthelongtermprospectsofHCSanditsgrowth Targetingagrowthof10%insavingsaccounteveryyeartobeusedonlyfor“unexpected”causes. AnnualreservesforCapitalexpenditures,Treasurerpresentingannualbudgetnolaterthanweek6ofthe calendaryear,AnnualInventorycount,AssetsinPossessionͲfromallassetclassespublishedintheFocus Newsletter,Operatingthecurrentcamerasystemsefficiently,Websiteactivationforallfinancial transactionspossible,Fundraisingandmembershipdrive 5.Thefifthpillar–theTrustCommitteeandtheExecutiveCommitteeliketheleftandrighteyesbeingdistinctbut seeingaUnifiedVisionthattheHinduCulturalSocietyservesthecommunityascaretakersofcultureandfostering devotionandfaithamongstAll. * Incorporated under Section 405 of the Not-for-profit Corporation Law of the State of New York WastereductionattheHCS–IndraBalu "Thegreatestthreattoourplanetisthebeliefthatsomeoneelsewillsaveit.” –RobertSwan We,Americansmakeuponly5%oftheworld'spopulationyetconsume30%oftheworld’sresourcesandproduce30% oftheworld’swaste!Eachyearwegenerate258milliontonsoftrash,whichisequivalentto4.4poundsperpersonper day.40%ofthistrashisfoodwaste,alsoknownasfoodscraps.Thisfoodwastewhenitgetstoalandfill,releases CarbonDioxide(CO2)andMethane(CH4)contributingtothegreenhouseeffectintheatmosphere.Onewaytostopthis greenhouseeffectiscompostingwhichdoesnotcreateCH4whenthisprocessisdonecorrectly. InFebruaryofthisyear,webegantocollectandprocessfoodscrapsonSundayPreetiBhojanddroppeditintoa compostbin.Compostbin#1quicklyfilledupalongwithflowers,fruitsandprasadfromsannidhi,andseasonalbrush trimmingsfromaroundthesmalltemple.Allofthiswaspreviouslygoingtotrash.Therearecurrently3compostbins onsiteandactivelymanagedbytheHCSGreenTeam.Thecompostwillbeusefultoimprovesoilconditionsforhealthier flowersandplants. Aweeklater,westartedstackingthestyrofoamplates,styrofoamcupsandplasticspoons,andreducedtheamountof trashfromtwolargetrashbagstooneͲquartertrashbag.TheHCSGreenTeambroughtoutstainlesssteelspoonsfor thepurposeofwastereductionandreuse.Thefollowingweek,ournextinitiativeincludedtheuseofstainlesssteel platesandcupswhichreducedourtrashto"ZERO."Atanaverageof100+styrofoamplates,cupsandplasticspoons perweek,in22weeks,about2200~styrofoamplates,cupsandspoonswerepreventedfromgettingintoalandfill.We continuedour"ZeroWasteCampaign" Withthenumberofrecyclablesincreasing,werentedaRecycleDumpsterforitemssuchasmilkcartons,cardboard boxes,juicecans,aluminumpansandfoil.Allofthiswaspreviouslydiscardedintotrash.Volunteersandmembersofthe HCSGreenTeamofferedtowashtheplatesandwipethem,astheir'seva'tothetemple.Lastly,donorsappearedtoput forthmoneytoprocureadishwasherandatweek#22thedishwasherstartedwashingalltheplateswhichwerehandͲ washedbefore.Atanaverageof50poundsoffoodscrapsperweek,itsumsto1100pounds(ortheweightof6average Americanmales)thathasbeendivertedfromgoingtoalandfill. Wastehasbeenreducedandrecyclingiscontinuingbutthereismoretobedone–membershostingprivateeventsat thepremiseshavetobeurged/mandatedtousethereusableutensils.Allpatronsofthetempleneedtobeenlightened andeducatedontheadvantagesofproperrecyclingandcompostingbyattendingaworkshoptobescheduledata futuredate.Eachofushastorealizethatwecannotcontinuetousetheplanet'sresourcesfrivolouslybecauseasJane Goodallquotes"thegreatestdangertoourfutureisapathy."Humanactivityisprovingdestructivetomarinelife,plastic useisdangeroustoallanimalsandimproperdisposalofplasticiscausinghavoctowaterways.Theproliferationof singleͲuse,throwͲawayplasticiscreatingmoreandmorelandfills,andwasteͲmanagementisgettingexpensive.Weare usingmoreresourcesthanwecanreplenish.Byfollowingthe5R(s)ͲReduce,Refuse,Reuse,RecoverandRecycle,inthe wordsofMahatmaGandhi“wecouldbethechangewewishtoseeintheworld“. TobecomeinvolvedintheHCSGreenTeam,pleaseemail:Indra[email protected] * Incorporated under Section 405 of the Not-for-profit Corporation Law of the State of New York TheWorldiscelebratingVedantaDesika’s750thbirthAnniversarythisyear VijayChakravarthy “LONDON:BritishparliamentarianscuttingacrosspartylinesjoinedseveralHinduleadersintheUKattheHouseof CommonscomplexinLondontocommemoratethe750thbirthanniversaryofVedantaDesika,oneofIndia's leadingspiritualmasters.” “Desika,whotaughtthepathof'prapatti'orlovingsurrender,wasdescribed byPrimeMinisterNarendraModiasa'shiningjewel'intheIndianspiritual tradition.” “SeminaroncontributionsofSriVedantaDesikatomathematicsand technologyattheJRDTataAuditoriumatIIScBangalore.” SeveralotherconferencesonreligiousandspiritualcontributionsofVedanta Desikathroughouttheworld. Evenafter750years,whatmakesusrememberandreverethisgreatman? Indeed,hewasageniuswhothroughhisoriginalityandcreativethinking madeuniqueandyeomancontributionstoallwalksoflifethatarerelevant tillthisdateandwouldeverremainso.Hismessageofsimplicitywherehe chosetolivealifeofpovertytogaincompleteindependenceofspirit,byhis extraordinarylearningandexemplarywayoflife,hisloveforEmperuman (LordKrishna),hewontheadmirationofallthosewhoarespiritually minded. VedantaDesikawasbornintheyear1268ontheVijayaDasamidayinThooppulnearKanchi.Hisparentswere madewellawareofhisdivinedescendanceandconsideredhimasanavataraofLordBalajiandhewasnamedas Venkatanatha.Thename,VedantaDesika,wasatitleconferredonhimlaterbyLordRanganathahimself.Several othertitleslike“KaviͲtarkikaͲsimham”,“SarvaͲtantraͲsvatantra”werealsoconferredonhimduringhislifetime. Sovastwashiseruditionandsodeephisknowledgethatareexpressedinhisworksthatitisdifficulttogotoa upanyasamorascholarlylecture,whereSwamiVedantaDesikaisnotquoted.FormanyardentVaishnavasthe loveforVedantaDesikawouldfarexceedtheloveforGod.Devoutpeopleholdhimverydeartotheirhearts. VedantaDesikaworemanyhatsasillustratedthroughhisworks.Firstandforemost,hewasabhaktaofLord LakshmiNarayana.Hecomposedanumberofstotrasorlyricsthatexcelintheirgaambheeryaportrayingthe beautyandqualitiesofthebhagavan.Hispoeticexcellencemanifestsinhisstotras.Oneofthefinestofthese stotrasisGopalaVimshati,whereheexpresseshisdeepandferventdevotiontoKrishna(hisfavoriteLord)in simpleSanskrit.WeatHCSrecitethisstotraontheJanmashtamiday. VedantaDesikawroteanumberofworksonVedantaandthisiswhereheexcelledtoearnthetitleof Vedantacharya. Finally,DesikawasaprofoundadmirerofSriRamanujacharyaandhehasexpressedhisboundlessadmirationand gratitudeforhimthroughouthisworks. VedantaDesikaspenthisfinalyearsinthecompanyandloveofhisdisciplesandfollowerswhousedto chant–“VedantaDesikaneInnumoruNootrandirum”(mayyoulivefor100moreyears)–thatwe continuetochantuntothisday!!,requestinghimtoresideinourheartsforever. * Incorporated under Section 405 of the Not-for-profit Corporation Law of the State of New York 4 11 18 25 Saturday Raksha Bandhan Navagraha Abhishek 11:15 to 12:00 noon Jain Pooja 11:15 to12:00 noon Abhishek Navagraha 11:15 to12:00 noon Paath Sunderkanth PM 2:00 to noon 12:00 Ashtami, Durga Pooja 7:007:45 to PM Yajur upakarma 10:30 AM 8:00 to Pooja Satyanarayan 7:309:00 to PM Service to man is service to GOD 3 10 17 24 31 Friday Tulsidas jayanthi vratam Varlakshmi 7:158:15 to PM Pradosh Pradosh 2 9 16 23 30 Thursday Pooja Kartik PM 7:30 to 6:45 Shukla Sashti Bhadrapad Sankranti Lord Shiva Abhishek PM 8:00 to 6:45 1 8 15 22 29 Wednesday August 2018 Pradosh Pradosh Lord Shiva Abhishek PM 8:00 to 6:45 Panchami Garur 9:00 to 9:45 AM panchami Naag Kalki Jayanti Abhishek Ganesh 10:00 to11:00AM Sahastranaam 7:007:45 to PM Chaturthi Sankatahar PM PM 7 14 21 28 7:45 7:45 to to Tuesday Krishna Pooja 7:00 Kamika Ekadshi parivar Pooja Ram 7:00 Kamika Ekadshi 6 13 20 27 Monday Andal Jayanti Adi Pooram Bala ji Abhishek 7:007:45 to PM Sravan Somavrat ends 5 12 19 26 Sunday Sunday Begin the day with love, spend the day with love, that is way to GOD Vedic Havan 11:30 to12:15 PM jayanti Gayatri Gayatri Havan 11:30 to12:15 PM * Incorporated under Section 405 of the Not-for-profit Corporation Law of the State of New York AM 1 8 15 22 29 11:30 Abhishek Saturday to ji Kartik Pooja Pooja Kartik PM 7:30 to 6:45 Shukla Sashti Navagraha Abhishek 12:00 noon 11:15 to Jain Pooja 11:15 to12:00 noon Vat Savitri Vrat Navagraha Abhishek 12:00 noon 11:15 to Paath Sunderkant 12:00 to 2:00 PM Bala 9:00 Lord Shiva Abhishek PM 8:00 to 6:45 Pradosh 6) Jayanti Oct. PM on 14 21 28 Desika 7:45 Friday & to 7 Lord Shiva Abhishek Pradosh PM 8:00 to 6:45 begins parva Paryushan Pooja Kartik PM 7:30 to 6:45 Shukla Sashti ends parva Paryushan Samvatsari begins Daslakshan Balaji (celebration Sravanam 7:00 Abhishek Ganesh 9:15 to 10:00AM Sahastranaam 7:007:45 to PM Chaturthi Sankatahar 6 13 20 27 Thursday Ram parivar Pooja 7:007:45 to PM Ekadshi Padma 5 12 19 26 Wednesday Krishna Pooja 7:007:45 to PM Yogini Ekadshi Vinayaka/ Ganesh Chaturathi September 2018 4 11 18 25 navami Tuesday Gugga upakarma Sama 7:00 to 8:30 AM Varah jayanti Hariyalika teej Pitra Paksh begins 3 10 17 24 day Monday The life is about those who are honest behind your back. Life is not about the people who are sincere in front of you. Life is not about the people who Labor Pooja Satyanarayan 7:309:00 to PM 2 9 30 16 23 Sunday Sunday Krishna Jayanti details for See flyer Vedic Havan 11:30 to12:15 PM Durga Pooja 7:007:45 to PM Ashtami Sravana Sankranti Visarjan Ganesh Chaturthi Anant details for See flyer ends Daslakshan * Incorporated under Section 405 of the Not-for-profit Corporation Law of the State of New York For more information, please contact : 9LMD\DUDJKDYDQ&KDNUDYDUWK\ 1HHODP&KDWUDWK : 6 -; 7HPSOH: +LQGX&XOWXUDO6RFLHW\ 1RQ3URILW 1)UHQFK5G 2UJDQL]DWLRQ *HW]YLOOH1<