THE HINDU TEMPLE OF METROPOLITAN WASHINGTON 10001 RIGGS ROAD, ADELPHI, MD 20783 PHONE 301‐445‐2165, 301‐434‐1000 http://www.hindutemplemd.org MARCH 2011 SCHEDULED EVENTS MONTH DATE DAY TIME SERVICE PROGRAM March 1 TUESDAY 7:30 PM to 8:30 PM Chalisa Paath Paath, Sundarkaand Katha, Bhajans & Arti; Prasad March 2 WEDNESDAY PRADOSHA MAHA SHIV RATRI MAHA SHIV RATRI Lingum Pooja & Abhishek -- Come & POOJA celebrate with Hindu Temple Pandits Pitamber Ji, Ram Shastri Ji and guest priests, Usha Bhargave, local talent and devotees March 2, 2011 Maha Shivratri Festival is celebrated in honor of Lord and it is believed that Lord Shiva got married to on this day. Mahashivaratri is celebrated on the 13th (or 14th) day of the dark half of Hindu Month of Phalgun. As the 7 PM to 12PM - name "Shivratri" means "the night of Shiva" for Lord Shiva is one of three gods of the Hindu Trinity. According to legends the Mahashivaratri festival marks the night when Lord Shiva danced the "Tandav" (his destructive dance). As Shiv Pooja Thalis per the , Lord Shiva manifested himself as "Lingam" to tide over the invisible and formless time and to make mankind aware of its eternity. The day when Shiva manifested himself in the form of "Lingam" was the fourth day of the for $31 donations dark night in the month of the Hindu Month Of Magha. This is why, it is said that Shivratri will be celebrated forever and ever. During the festival of Maha Shiva Ratri, devotees fast.During the night Shivalinga is washed every three hours with milk, curd, honey, rose water, offerBael leaves and chant the "Om Namah Shivaya". Special Service March 3, 2011, Thursday to March 6, 2011, Sunday SHIV PURAN SHIV PURAN YAGNA March 3, 2011 Time: 7:00 PM to 8.30 PM YAGNA March March 4 & 5, 2011 Time: 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM 3 - March 6 March 6, 2011 Time: 10:00 AM to Noon Everyone is welcome to attend! March 3 THURSDAY 8:30 PM to 9:30 PM Sai Baba Group Bhajans, Reading & Arti; Followed by Prasad March 4 FRIDAY AMAVASYA March 4 FRIDAY 8:00 PM Santoshi Mata Arti Service March 4 FRIDAY 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm SHIV PURAN March 5 SATURDAY Sarva Pooja March 5 SATURDAY 9:00 am to 10:30 am Jain Pooja March 5 SATURDAY 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm SHIV PURAN

1 of 4 MARCH 2011 SCHEDULED EVENTS SPECIAL Hindu Temple Program on TV - 1:00 PM Every first Saturday of the month. ANNOUNCEMENT: Please watch Hindu Temple on TV special on Pillars of Hindu Dharma (Hindu Dharma Ke Stambh) within the series Tenets of hosted by Dr. Rajesh Mehra and Dr. Satish Misra. Hindu Temple Program on This year, the theme is “Our Temples, Priests and Saints”, as they are indeed the guiding lights of our Dharma. The TV: March 5, 2011 Saturday broadcast schedule is as follows: 1pm For more information, participation or contribution, please call Vippan Chopra at 202‐369‐2946. The show airs on the MHz Network COMCAST Channels 271 or 272; RCN Channels 30 or 35; COX Channels 470 or 475 VERIZON FIOS Channels 451 or 456; DIRECTV SATELLITE Channels 2183/972 DISH NETWORK SATELLITE Channels 8077/8084; DIGITAL BROADCAST (OVER THE AIR/OTA) Channels 30.1 30.2. Please support your temple. Thank you. March 6 SUNDAY Yoga Classes 8 AM to 10 AM March 6 SUNDAY 9.00 AM to 10:00 AM Jain Pooja Sunday March 6 Trinidad Hindu SHIV PURAN YAGNA - Trinidad Hindu Group (10 am to noon ) -- In English & Hindi - Sing bhajans , Group Service Participate in religious discourse & Arti with Pandit Bhisham Followed by Prasad & Priti Bhoj -

Sunday March 6 - Jhulela Sai Hindu Temple - Sindhi Community of WMA Monthly - Jhulelal Sai Prayer Offering Monthy Service Everyone is welcome to attend and participate in bhajans, reading and arti service, followed by Prasad. Contact Ravi [email protected]. March 6 SUNDAY 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM Hari & Ramayan Katha Katha, bhajans, Kirtan Evening; Prasad & Priti Bhoj March 6 SUNDAY 5:30 PM to 6.30 PM Bal Gokulam March 7 MONDAY Shiv Pooja March 8 TUESDAY 7:30 PM to 8:30 PM Hanuman Chalisa Paath Paath, Sundarkaand Katha, Bhajans & Arti; Prasad March 9 WEDNESDAY Laxmi Narayana Pooja March 10 THURSDAY 8:00 PM to 9:00 PM Sai Baba Group Bhajans, Reading & Arti; Followed by Prasad March 11 FRIDAY 8:00 PM Santoshi Mata Arti Service March 12 SATURDAY Serva Deva Pooja March 12 SATURDAY 9:00 am to 10:30 am Jain Pooja March 13 SUNDAY DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME BEGINS March 13 SUNDAY 8 AM to 10 AM Yoga Classes March 13 SUNDAY 9.00 AM to 10:30 AM Jain Pooja Sunday March 13 Trinidad Hindu Every Other Sunday of the Month - Trinidad Hindu Group (10 am to noon ) -- In English & Hindi - Sing Group Service bhajans , Participate in religious discourse & Arti with Pandit Bhisham Followed by Prasad & Priti Bhoj -

March 13 SUNDAY 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM Hari & Ramayan Katha Katha, bhajans, Kirtan Evening; Prasad & Priti Bhoj March 14 MONDAY SANKRANTI March 15 MONDAY Shiv Pooja March 16 TUESDAY 7:30 PM to 8:30 PM Hanuman Chalisa Paath Paath, Sundarkaand Katha, Bhajans & Arti; Prasad March 16 WEDNESDAY EKADASHI (Aamalakee) Laxmi Narayana Pooja March 17 THURSDAY PADOSHA March 17 THURSDAY 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM Sai Baba Group Bhajans, Reading & Arti; Followed by Prasad 2 of 4 MARCH 2011 SCHEDULED EVENTS March 18 FRIDAY 8:00 PM Santoshi Mata Arti Service Arti March 19 SATURDAY PURNIMA March 19 SATURDAY Serva Deva Pooja March 19 SATURDAY 9:00 am to 10:30 am Jain Pooja Special Program Every Third Saturday of the Month Jagannath Organization for Saturday - HOLI Global Awareness (JOGA) -- POOJA in the prayer hall HOLI CULTURAL PROGRAM - Songs, Dances, Plays -- By children March 19 and adults, In the Auditorium - Everyone is welcome to attend! - Admission Free 4pm to 9 pm March 20 SUNDAY SPRING BEGINS SPRING BEGINS SPRING BEGINS March 20 SUNDAY 8 AM to 10 AM Yoga Classes March 20 SUNDAY 9.00 AM to 10:30 AM Jain Pooja March 20 SUNDAY 5:30 PM to 6.30 PM Bal Gokulam SPECIAL EVENT 5:00 PM to 7.30 PM - Satyanarya Katha & Special HOLIKA DAHAN celebration - Contact Bharti Khetarpal to sponsor or participate in Priti Bhoj - 301- 890- Sunday 4597; POOJA & KATHA by Pandit Pitamber Dutt & Shastri Ram Kumar, Satyanarayana Pooja: Individuals and families who would like to do Satyanarayna pooja, please contact Pandit March 20 Pitamber Dutt Ji and Ramkumar Shastri Ji at the Hindu Temple 301-445-2165, 301-434-1000. The Satyanarayana Pooja is usually done on the Purnima day of every month (the day of the full moon) or a Sankranti. It can also be CELEBRATE performed on any day for any reason. It is also done on special occasions and during times of achievements as an offering of gratitude to the Lord. These occasions include marriage, graduation, new job, and the purchase of a new HOLIKA DAHAN home to name a few. In addition, it is said that a devotional performance of this Pooja will bear children to couples trying to start a family. You are welcome The Bonfire Ritual & Song & Dance: Holika Dahan or the lighting of bonfire takes place on the eve of Holi. The day is also popularly called 'Chhoti Holi' or the 'Small Holi'.The bigger event - play with the colour takes place on the next 'big' to bring your day. Holika Dahan is an extremely popular tradition and is celebrated with fervour all across the country and is symbolic of triumph of good over evil. According to Narad Purana, this day is celebrated in the memory of Prahlad's victory and the defeat of his aunt 'Holika'. offerings for The legend has it that there once existed a mighty demon king by the name of Hiranyakashyap who wished that everybody in his kingdom should worship him. His son, Prahlad became a follower of Lord Naarayana. Hiranyakashyap HOLI instructed his sister, Holika to sit in the burning fire with Prahlad in lap. She was blessed with a boon, as a result of which no fire could burn her. But the opposite happened, Prahlad survived and Holika was charred to death. Thus 'holi' is celebrated to commemorate the victory of virtue over evil. It is because of this event, Holika (a bonfire) is burnt every year on Holi. The burning of the effigy of Holika is called Holika Dahan.

3 of 4 MARCH 2011 SCHEDULED EVENTS March 21 MONDAY Shiv Pooja March 22 TUESDAY 7:30 PM to 8:30 PM Hanuman Chalisa Paath Paath, Sundarkaand Katha, Bhajans & Arti; Prasad March 23 WEDNESDAY 7:30 PM to 8:30 PM Laxmi Narayana Pooja March 24 THURSDAY 8:00 PM TO 9:00 PM Sai Baba Group Bhajans, Reading & Arti; Followed by Prasad March 26 FRIDAY 8:00 PM Santoshi Mata Arti Service March 26 SATURDAY 9.00 AM to 10:30 AM Jain Pooja March 26 SATURDAY Serva Deva Pooja Saturday March 26 MONTHLY Monthly Sundarkaand Paath Service - (Last Saturday of each Month) 5:00 PM TO 7:00 PM Reading , Katha, SERVICE - Bhajan Kirtan & Arti, Followed by Prasad and Priti Bhoj March 27 SUNDAY 8 AM to 10 AM Yoga Classes March 27 SUNDAY 9.00 AM to 10:30 AM Jain Pooja SPECIAL Hindu Temple on JOGADARSHAN - Internet TV ‐ Every first Sunday of tthe month ‐‐ JOGADARSHAN is an educational ANNOUNCEMENT: and philosophical internet TV program of Jagannath Organization for Global Awareness (JOGA). The weekly internet TV program is broadcast as follows: Please see the live TV program by following the JOGADARSHAN link. Please see the live TV Hindu Temple Program program by following the JOGADARSHAN link http://www.justin.tv/jogadarshan on Internet TV Broadcast Sunday 10:00 ‐11:00 AM (EST/USA). For program information and for joining Q&A session please send your questions to: [email protected] on March 27, Sunday 10:00‐10:10 AM ‐ Bhajans by Hindu temple devotees 10am to 11 am 10:10 ‐ Discourse by Dr. Ramanand Dwivedi followed by Q&A Sunday March 27 Trinidad Hindu Every Other Sunday of the Month - Trinidad Hindu Group (10 am to noon ) -- In English & Hindi - Sing Group Service bhajans , Participate in religious discourse & Arti with Pandit Bhisham Followed by Prasad & Priti Bhoj

SPECIAL HINDU TEMPLE ANNUAL HOLI CULTURAL

EVENT PROGRAM in the auditorium, visit www.hindutemplemd.org for details. SUNDAY Songs, Dances, Plays, Musical Entertainment-- By groups of children from our temple and area Song & Dance Academies - Everyone is March 27 welcome to attend! - Admission Free - Sunday Arti following the 3pm to 6 pm program in the prayer hall. March 27 SUNDAY 5:30 PM to 6.30 PM Bal Gokulam http://www.hindutemplemd.org/docs/Final_MD_Balagokulam_Flyer.jpg March 27 SUNDAY 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM Hari & Ramayan Katha Katha, bhajans, Kirtan Evening; Prasad & Priti Bhoj March 28 MONDAY Shiv Pooja March 29 TUESDAY EKADASHI (Paapamochanee) March 30 WEDNESDAY 7:30 PM to 8:30 PM Hanuman Chalisa Paath Paath, Sundarkaand Katha, Bhajans & Arti; Prasad March 31 THURSDAY PRADOSHA Laxmi Narayana Pooja March 31 THURSDAY 8:00 PM TO 9:00 PM Sai Baba Group Bhajans, Reading & Arti; Followed by Prasad

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