Hindu Temple of Rochester 120 Pinnacle Road, Pittsford, NY 14534-1008 http://www.hindutempleofrochester.com Telephone: (585) 427- 8091 Jan, Feb, Mar 2016 Newsletter #1 President’s Column! surrounds them. You can see more information in this EXECUTIVE newsletter for the first offering. Hari OM! We plan to do cost/benefit analysis of adding resource I am extremely honored that you have bestowed your trust in COUNCIL to generate efficiency in bookings, temple and puja me to lead a very capable and dedicated EC team for the year coverage, and improve temple administration. President 2016, members of which are listed in this newsletter. First of As you are aware, Board of Trustees under the all, please join me in thanking our 2015 Cultural Secretary Om P. Gupta leadership of Chairman Dr. Anil Sawhney is Kusuma Vulapalli , Education Secretary Jyothi Bhagavatula , 585-385-1020 proceeding ahead to complete the final Phase IV which and past President Ashok Gupta who have served their terms includes Shikhar, Kitchen and other needed external and will not be continuing in 2016. They have served the and internal facility improvements. The town of temple well with dedication in their respective roles. Even Vice President Henrietta has approved our temple’s application for though we will miss them in EC but we will rely on them for Shikhar with a few minor conditions. The Board of Satya Agarwal mentoring and supporting their replacements. We should also Trustees is currently involved with raising funds to 585-381-5746 thank Sanjay Mathur, our 2015 President for his leadership in complete this final Phase IV and your support is the past few years and as he reported in the last newsletter so appreciated. much has been accomplished by the EC during 2015. Secretary We will need your continued support and trust in order for Ramana Adibhatla During 2016 we plan to build on where we left in 2015 and us to achieve the focus and goals stated above. Please areas needing further improvement and our strategic major continue to provide your volunteer support as our teachers 585-329-3698 focus will be as follows: and so many volunteers do for which EC, Board of trustees Continue to seek and listen to how well we are fulfilling and temple is extremely thankful. I have absolutely no Treasurer our devotee’s diverse needs. Your feedback is important doubt that we will continue to work as one team standing to us and I ask that you fill out the survey in this together hand-in-hand for the good of our beloved temple. Chetna Chandrakala newsletter and we will act on as we implemented last Under our Pujariji’s continued guidance for which we are year on most of your suggestions. We will also have 773- 704-8817 thankful, our promise is: We will do our best and let us established a single point of contact, Ramana Adibhatla together make 2016 as a memorable year for our temple so to assure your suggestions and/or complaints of that it is there for generations to follow. Cultural Secretary dissatisfaction have been responded to by the Happy New Year! responsible EC member in a timely manner. Madhavi Devarakonda Yours Sincerely, 585-242-9447 Our main roles remain to fulfill with best of our ability devotees diverse religious needs which include O.P.Gupta celebration of our religious festivals/pujas, fulfillment of President, 2016 Communications requested pujariji services, conducting of Education classes for the next generation, and community outreach. BOARD OF TRUSTEES Secretary We recognize that we need to expand our role in fulfilling Aruna Bhargava humanitarian needs which include helping those who Surendar Johar Lakshmi Rao 585-586-2146 may be in ill-health or grieving families whose loved one Anil Sawhney (C) Virendra Gupta may have passed away. Some volunteers have offered to Bal Narang Rajesh Mehrotra help us in this new area of emphasis. Nagin Shah Manoj Rajgarhia Educational Secretary In order to properly and consistently achieve the temple Don Shetty Jaimala Thanik Raje Sathasivan roles defined above, we will need to work efficiently and by working smart. For that we will put in operation 585-802-0119 documented policies, procedures & compliance list, centralized electronic, financial and member data base, VOLUNTEER GURUS Facilities Secretary improved interactive website for puja/hall bookings and payments, effective EC and support/work group Sunetra Deore Rajashree Bhagwat Vinod Bajaj meetings, training of support teams for backing up busy Aruna Bhargava Suma Potini 585-442-2525 Secretaries, and effective communication and Radhika Ramesh Sandhya Nambiar preventative maintenance system. In order to build on Kusuma Vulapalli Arti Talwar success stories and lessen the load on busy EC, we will be Past President looking to emphasize more on temple sponsored host Manika Mohan Alka Phatak Sanjay Mathur family organized events. Meera Sampath Jyothi Bhagavatula 585-666-0608 Temple is blessed with many volunteers helping doing so Nidhi Singh Raje Sathasivan many chores. We salute them. We will focus on Madhavi Dixit Meenakshi Bansal implementing effective volunteer management to Anita Kumar Priyanka Singh Priest perform variety of duties for our growing temple. This L.V. Govind includes identification of a capable volunteer coordinator Kusum Shah Sandhya Sarlashkar and leaders. Mukta Mande Sangeetha Ramkumar 585-427-8091 We plan to continue to support health initiatives started Kiran Verma Manisha Srivastava early this year; yoga classes, health walk and also have put together offering of pilgrimage tours to India; one to Rakesh Roshan Sastry Bhagavatula North and one to South during the year. You can go together as a family and with friends and learn from historic temples of India and beauty and culture which Temple needs your SUPPORT! SINCERE REQUEST FROM EXECUTIVE COUNCIL By becoming a member or renewing your membership. Please be considerate By taking an active part in the administrative team or Temple arrive on time for Pujas and committees. finish your prayers within the Temple hour By attending and participating in the functions/events. maintain silence while you are in the prayer hall By taking advantage of Temple services -- Special pujas, Language, don’t let the children run around Balvihar and Dance classes. put your shoes on the racks By volunteering to teach classes (Temple’s Volunteer “Gurus”). don’t eat in the prayer hall By volunteering and signing-up for regular help. clean up after you By volunteering and signing-up to help during special pujas. treat Temple property with care By extending your strong, consistent financial support. Your Temple Your cooperation is greatly appreciated. needs to be financially strong to serve you. Temple Hours: COMMONLY USED ABBREVIATIONS: Mon - Fri 9:00AM - 11:30AM & 6:00PM - 8:30PM HTOR Hindu Temple of Rochester Sat & Sun 9:00AM -12:00 Noon & 4:30PM - 8:30PM EC Executive Council Wednesday Temple Closed, except on Special Occasions. BoT Board Of Trustees LRPC Long Range Planning Committee AGBM Annual General Body Meeting The dates and times of the events are subject to change. For more information, please visit the Hindu Temple of Rochester Web site at : www.hindutempleofrochester.com Vaishno Devi: Located in the mighty Trikuta Mountains at a distance of 60 kilometers from Jammu, is the famous Vaishno Devi Temple. One of the most visited and worshipped pilgrimages in India Prayag: Prayag, where river Ganga and Yamuna meet, is one of the ancient pilgrimage centers of India. Prayag is situated in Allahabad. Prayag is venerated in the hymns of the Rig Veda. Source: http://www.culturalindia.net/indian-pilgrimage Please support the temple’s efforts in being eco-friendly by choosing paperless delivery of the newsletter. You can let us know your choice on the membership form or send contact the secretary. Hindu Temple of Rochester Calendar of Festivals and Events – 2016 Phone: (585) 427-8091 http://www.hindutempleofrochester.com January (Temple Closed 6, 20 & 28) April (Temple Closed 6, 20 & 27) Jan 1 New Year’s Day Puja, Ganesh Abhishekam 10AM Apr 2 Sri Venkateshwara Abhishekam 10AM Jan 2 Sri Venkateshwara Abhishekam 10AM Apr 3 Pradosham 6:30PM Jan 7 Pradosham 6:30PM Apr 7 Durmukhi Nama Chandramana Ugadi Jan 8 Hanumath Jayanthi 6:00PM Vasantha Navarathri Begins Jan 9 Sunderkand 10AM Apr 9 Sunderkand 10AM Jan 13 Lohri , Bhogi Apr 12 Sri Ram Parivar Murthi Abhishekam 6:30PM Jan 14 Uttarayana Punyakala begins; Pongal, Makara 6:30PM Apr 13 Durmukhi Nama Souramana Yugadi , 6:00PM Sankranti, Radha Krishna Abhishekam Vishu, Chittirai Baisakhi Jan 15 Kanuma, Andal Kalyanam 6:30PM Durga Astami, Kanya Puja Jan 17 Sri Murugan Abhishekam 10AM Apr 14 Radha Krishna Abhishekam 6:30PM Jan 19 Sri Vishnu Utsava Murthi Abhishekam 6:30PM Apr 15 Sri Rama Navami, Vasanta Navarathri ends Jan 21 Pradosham 6:30PM Sri Ram Parivar Murthi Abhishekam 10AM Jan 22 Sri Durga Abhishekam 6:30PM Apr 16 Sri Sita Rama Kalyanostava 6PM Jan 23 Sri Ram Parivar Murthi Abhishekam 7AM Apr 17 Sri Murugan Abhishekam 10AM Poornima, Satyanarayana Puja 8:30AM Sri Vishnu Utsava Murthi Abhishekam 5:30PM Akhanda Ramayan Paath starts 10AM Apr 19 Pradosham 6:30PM Jan 24 Akhanda Ramayan Paath ends 11AM Apr 21 Hanuman Jayanthi 6:00PM Thai Poosam Celebrations, Murugan 5:30 PM Poornima, Satyanarayana Puja, 6:30PM Abhishekam Apr 23 Sri Durga Abhishekam 10AM Jan 27 SankatHhara Chaturthi, Sri Ganesh Abhishekam 6:30 PM Apr 24 4th Sunday Puja 10AM February (Temple Closed 3, 10, 17 & 24) Apr 25 Sankatahara Chathurthi, Sri Ganesh Abhishekam 6:30PM Feb 5