Satsang Sandesh A monthly news magazine of India Temple Association, Inc. Hindu Temple 25 E. Taunton Ave, Berlin, NJ 08009 SOUTH JERSEY ♦ DELAWARE ♦ PENNSYLVANIA Vol. 37 No. 4 Phone: (856) 768-3134 www.indiatemple.org APRIL 2011 Religious Calendar Dear Members and Supporters, April 4, Monday The eyes of the whole world are on Japan in the wake of the earthquake and tsunami that has CHAITRI New Year devastated much of Japan. Food and water is in short supply, thousands of people are stranded, Gudi Padvo/Ugadi and millions of homes and businesses are without power. Relief organizations are now on the scene, and our government is on the scene through the military forces who are actively en- April 5, Tuesday--CHETI CHAND (Celebration in Temple on April 16) gaged in the massive humanitarian effort. Ground assessments liken the devastation in Japan to that of the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II. Virtually every spiritual April 9 & 10, Saturday/Sunday group from small town local churches to major religious organizations is answering the call to AKHAND RAMAYAN in Temple care for the people of Japan. Without our help, many more people may die. April 12, Tuesday– RAM NAVMI It is our spiritual and compassionate duty, both as individuals and as a community, to join in Shri Sahajananda Jayanti this worldwide humanitarian effort. Because the need is so great, ITA has set up a Japan relief Celebration in Temple fund similar to what we have done for past disasters. We will collect funds that will be distrib- April 14, Thursday uted to international relief agencies already on the ground in Japan. Many of you are already Kamada Ekadashi contributing in other ways individually, but we feel that a consolidated effort as a community April 15, Friday-- Tamil New Year can have more of a positive impact as history has shown time and again. April 17, Sunday We are coordinating this effort with our ITA Seva Samiti to raise the funds, and have formed HANUMAN JAYANTI/Purnima an ad hoc committee, to oversee distribution of funds. Committee members include, Rakesh Celebration in Temple Kohli, Joint General Secretary, Kiran Desai, Advisory Board Chair and Subhash Rashatwar, Seva Samiti Natural Disaster Committee Chair. April 28, Thursday Varuthini Ekadashi We would ask that you make all checks payable to ITA and marketed Japan Relief Fund on the Shri Vallabhacharya Jayanti memo line. Please send all checks to the temple, 25 E. Taunton Ave, Berlin, NJ, 08009. You (Celebration in Temple on May 7) can also make an online donation to the Japan Relief Fund through our website at www.indiatemple.org. Monthly Activities Thank you all for your support. April 8, Friday, 8-9 pm Vishnu Sahasranama Parayanam Rina Patel ITA President Monthly Bhajans April 15, Friday, 8-9 pm Special Prayers Pushti Mandal of Voorhees ITA has a program whereby you can have prayers performed on your behalf every year on a Contacts: special day in your life by pledging $301. Also, at your request, Shri. Bhupendra Shuklaji will Dhiraj Saparaia (856) 287-1415 perform a special puja on your behalf, or the regular temple puja performed on the designated Priti Shah (856) 467-9148 day will be dedicated in your name. Below are the donors for this month. Ashok Barbaria Apr 02 Savitri Goel Apr 16 April 22, Friday, 8-9 pm Urmila Gujrathi Apr 02 Arpana & David Brunt Apr 19 Satya Sai Baba of Medford Contacts: Narendra Bhatt Apr 03 Shailendra Desai Apr 19 P.K. Prabhakar (856) 596-3147 Kevin Gandhi Apr 03 Arny & Deepal Patel Apr 20 Sesha Vemuri (856) 751-0867 Surendra Sheth Apr 04 Yogendra B Choksi Apr 22 Savitaben Patel Apr 06 Nimisha & Rajen Jain Apr 22 April 29, Friday, 8-9 pm Dipti/Monil Pandya Apr 08 Samir Khurana Apr 22 Shree Ji Bhajan Group Upen Shah Apr 12 Ramchandra Rao Apr 25 Contact: Vaishali Patel Apr 13 Hansa H. Kothari Apr 28 Urmi Upadhya (856) 424-9328 Charu Sheth (856) 662-8754 Siddhi Vasa Apr 15 Condolences Shri Bharat Gajjar, Past President and Founding Member, passed away on February 25, 2011. Our ITA Vice-President Devangbhai’s mother, Prabhavatiben Parikh, 95, passed away on March 5, 2011. ITA and its Board extend their sincereBal-Vihar condolences Updates to the Gaijar and Parikh families. Bal-Vihar started this year on Sunday, September 26, 2010 at Cherokee High School with a record num- berRemembering of children participating. Shri Bharat With Gajjar over 200 children signed up for the 2010-2011 year, the enthusiasm from both children and parents was evident. Registration for the 2010 -2011 year is now closed; however, a waiting list will Although Mr. Bharat Gajjar was one of the founding members and a past president, he will always be remembered as a dedi- be maintained. For each of the ten sessions, children will learn not only about Hindu heritage and culture, but cated volunteer and a devoted, compassionate advocate of ITA. For many of us, he represented ITA during those salad also about the various Hindu festivals. They will partake in both yoga and Aarti as well. As director Lata Pim- days. Not only he served as the President of the Board of Trustees, but he also actively orchestrated its growth. Our current plaskar has stated, “Bal-Vihar is the place where children make friends and learn about their heritage. It will be constitution is based on the first constitution that he drafted, and is responsible, in many aspects, for harmony among the a valuable experience and an essential ingredient to building confidence.” diversity of our congregation. He also brought structure to Bal-Vihar and other activities, and participated in other commu- nity activities that fostered the values of Hinduism. On the October 10th session, children learnt the story and significance of Navratri. Classes talked about Mr.the gloryGajjar of religiously Maa Durga, conducted Maa Laxmi, services and for Maa ITA Saraswati.every third SundayThe importance for many ofyears all goddessesstarting in earlyto achieve 70’s. Hesuccess would in travel all thethat way we fromdo was Delaware emphasized. to conduct The Pujasession and concluded inspire us withwith his lunch devotional sponsored singing. by Naresh He invited and scholarsYamini toPatel, lecture Arun follow- ingand Puja Sapana and helpPatel, the and congregation Chetan and learn Leeta about Puwar. Hindu We philosophy thank them and for build their a cohesivededicated Hindu support. community in the South Jersey area. He took an active part during Pran Pratishtha and other several special occasions. Bharat Gajjar touched many heartsFor the by Diwali his devotional session onservices November to the 14th,ITA and 2010, Hindu each community. child will be He individually was a true Karmayogi performing and a aLaxmi caring Puja and compassion-and will atelearn soul. the On meaning behalf ofof thethis South ritual. Jersey Hindu community, ITA and it’s Board, we pray for the eternal peace of his soul. We are currently looking for lunch sponsors. If you are interested, please contact Chetana Giyanani for more information: „Taja Khabar’ from Youth Group Bal-Vihar the best place to be! Chetana Giyanani, Cell: (732) 322-6212 Email: [email protected] By Sujay Desai By Divya Giyanani We had only one youth session in February, and Bal-Vihar celebrated Maha Shivratri on that was because the weekend of our session February 27, 2011 with a traditional puja per- was the youth ski trip. During the first session, formed by the students.Senior Program Citizens' Director, Program we stretched and did some breathing techniques Lata Pimplaskar, Sunday November taught the 14, meaning 11:30 anda.m. sig- to 3:00 p.m. (Gagan Palace) and yoga, and then had a lesson on “Gunas”, or nificanceThursday of this religious November Hindu 18, festival 6:30 p.m.to the to 9:15 qualities p.m. (Temple) of life. The three kinds of Gunas, are students. This was followed by a Bharatanatyam dance per- Satva, Rajas, and Tamas. These describe human Ourformance Group by has Bal been-Vihar organizing teacher Divyathe Annual Giyanani, & Diwali a student Function of in November tendencies every and year.different This types year's of foodscelebra- are asso- tionsSmt. willKrithika be held Rajagopalan, on Sunday the November artistic director 14 from of 11:30 Natya a.m. Dance to 3:00 p.m.ciated The with venue each isquality Gagan as Palacewell. Afterwards, Restau- we rantTheatre. (located The near dance, Desi an Bazaar),offering Stratford,in the joy Phone:of Shiva 627 and-6200. Par- The fee hadis $11.00 a discussion for members. on an upcoming volunteer pro- Mr.vati’s Bhavesh union, Galabegan and with his a GunjanShloka ongroup the havedivine graciously energy Shiva offered to performject. As anda group, entertain we decided us, creating that we a would festive do activities with refugee kids. Later, we had lunch atmospherefollowed by with a Thillana their melodious in praise ofsongs. the goddess Our members Parvati. are Bha- also expected to show their musical talents provided by Hina and Vasant Prajapati. (instrumental, vocal) at the occasion. You will enjoy snacks and a vegetarian buffet dinner. Friends, this is jans, aarti, and a sumptuous lunch concluded this session of yourBal- Vihar.function so celebrate with gusto and enthusiasm. Please join us because in the end, " It's not the years in Two weeks later, on a Saturday, we had our an- your life that count. It's the life in your years!" nual youth ski trip. Everyone got together and th Bal-Vihar Annual Day will be held on Sunday, April 10 , we took a bus ride to Blue Mountain in Palmer- In2011 the atwinter Lenape months High of School, November 235 Hartfordthrough February,Rd., Medford, we will NJ.