Ipswich Hindu Samaj

IPSWICH HINDU SAMAJ

NEWSLETTER

JULY – DECEMBER 2012 – ISSUE NO 13

Editor’s Comments

“Take courage and work on. Patience and steady work…this is the only way. Go on. Remember… patience and purity and courage and steady work. So long you are true and pure, you will never fail. Mother will never leave you. All blessings will be on you”. Swami Vivekananda.

How true the above quote is, if we follow what Swami Vivekananda ji has said above, we can and shall achieve our objectives. “Patience and Steady work”.

Since we had the premises 5 Thoroughfare, Ipswich in November 2010, we have worked along with patience and steadiness, dedicating ourselves, with truth and purity, to uplift the Hindu Community in Ipswich and surrounding areas, and to provide for their spiritual and moral needs, and besides this also fulfilling their physical, social and educational needs within our limited resources. The Prayer Room is adorned with the beautiful deities, and we have been able to carry out our tasks within the perimeter of our charitable aims and objectives.

This newsletter, in brief covers the events that has been carried out between July and December 2012.

Appointment of Admin Assistant & Development Officer: Sital Patel who was earlier appointed for this position resigned in August, and after re-advertisement, we appointed Mrs Dr Chinmayi Nath Ph.D. She was given the priority of setting up and managing of the IHS women’s group & Youth Group. We have been as well lucky to have Mrs Tapasi Mohanty to work for us as a volunteer and to co-ordinate with Chinmayi in making the IHS website more presentable. I am pleased to add both have been working very hard to spread the message of Ipswich Hindu Samaj far and wide through the website. The post was created under the grant received from Ipswich Borough Council for 2012/2013.

Suffolk Foundation: Transforming Suffolk Grant:- Early last year, we applied to Suffolk Foundation for a grant to encourage young persons to make use of the Samaj’s community Centre for youth activities and to know more of Indian Culture and Traditions whilst enjoying the sports activities. Part of the grant for youth activities was refused by the assessment panel, but agreed to provide about £1,1114 .88 for the purchase of sports equipment late in December 2012. We hope in the year 2013 we will be able to provide youths & young persons sport equipment for them to play and enjoy the physical and spiritual aspects at the Samaj’s Community Centre & Mandir. Our youths are leaders of tomorrow and for future to take care of the Ipswich Hindu Samaj.

Activities undertaken . Sat Narain Katha: For the first time we held the Sat Narain Katha, sponsored by the Chairman Umesh Patel & his family. The Katha was well supported, and performed by Pt Parshotam Dave Ji from London in July. . Shri Krishna Janamashtami: In August, we celebrated the Janamashtami, the birthday of Lord Krishna. The prayer room was packed with devotees. All the deities were adorned with new clothes, which were again changed just before Diwali celebration in November. . Ganesh Chaturthi, 19th to 23rd September: From 19th to 22nd, various events were took place to celebrate the installation Lord Ganesha in the Prayer Room. This year we were lucky to have a trained priest (visiting his son from India in Ipswich) to perform the installation of Lord Ganesha. Cultural day was celebrated on Sunday 23rd at the manor hall, with lots of children’s activities dances and songs. In the evening we all assembled at Orwell Park for the visarjan of Lord Ganesha in the river Orwell. . Navraatri Festival 16th to 24th October: Gasrba and navraatri puja was held daily in the Mandir except on Friday 19th & Saturday 20th when it was held at the Suffolk New College newly built Soccer Goals building. I would like to thank the Principal Prof Dave Muller and his team for allowing us the use of the premises, and this was appreciated by the whole Hindu community in Ipswich. During the Ganesh festival and Navraatri celebrations nearly over 1,500 persons enjoyed the visited the mandir. . Diwali & New Year Celebration: As in the past two years, the Suffolk New College, hosted the Diwali Milan to celebrate the Hindu New Year Vikram Samvat 2069 on Monday 19th Nov. This year Indian ladies guided students chefs giving the Indian touch to the delicious meal. The dinner was attended by 100 members and their guests. . Karva Chauth Vrat: This year again on the 2nd November Karva Chauth Vrat puja was performed by about 10 ladies in the Mandir. . IHS Children’s Christmas Party: I am thankful to Chinmayi Nath and her volunteers and Dr Pravin Desai in holding the Children’s Christmas party on Saturday 22 nd December. I was in South Africa on holidays when this event took place. More than 40 children and their parents attended the celebrations. Thanks to all who helped to make this event successful.

Besides all these activities members continued to enjoy playing carom board donated by Dr Desai to the Samaj, holding of Art Of Living exercises, chanting of Hare Krishna Mantra and discussions on Gita led by a devotee from London, regular Bhajan Evenings on the 3rd Tuesday of each month, week end opening of the Mandir for social gathering and recitation of Shri Rama Amrit Vaani, singing of bhajans, recitation of Hanuman Chalisa followed by Aarti.

By end November of Chinmayi was able to start the weekly Tuesday Women’s group and fortnightly on Saturdays Youth Group at the Centre.

School visits: On 8th & 9th Nov we had about 180 children visited the Mandir to know on Hinduism from Brittania Primary School. I also visited the Ipswich Academy at Holywell School to give talk on Hinduism to Year One High School children.

Localgiving.com: Inlate September Localgiving.com sponsored £500,000 to be grabbed by charities registered with them under the scheme” Double Your Tenner” by donating £10 on line to your selected charity. We participated in this scheme and raised more than £4,000 by on line donation for the Ipswich Hindu Samaj.

All these successes has been attributed to the hard work put by the Executive Committee & Trustees., with the help of Chinmayi and Tapasi. Special thanks to Mayuri, who kept the Samaj’s accounts to date.

I am grateful to the help and support given to me by members of the community. Finally, not forgetting, what Swami Vivekananda ji said and quoted above, “Patience and Steady work”.

Dr Sushil K Soni Vice Chairman/ Secretary & Manger Ipswich Hindu Samaj January 10th 2013.