Hindu Temple of Rochester 120 Pinnacle Road, Pittsford, NY 14534-1008 http://www.hindutempleofrochester.com Telephone: (585) 427- 8091 Apr, May, Jun 2016 Newsletter #2 President’s Column! Pujas/havans and celebration. Watch transformation EXECUTIVE as we add Shikhars and finish exterior ornamentation Hari OM! of our temple. The Shikhars are under construction I am writing to you to give you all an update on the progress COUNCIL and we have made $44k of payments so far. As part of being made at our temple during the first quarter of 2016. Our Phase IV, we are also planning to finish kitchen and do President EC team, BoTs, Pujariji and volunteers have put in long hours some facility improvements. Financial support so far fulfilling the needs of the temple and facilitation of services Om P. Gupta has been encouraging but needs your support to make being provided by our temple. I had previously presented to 585-385-1020 payments as they come due. Your participation and you the focus and objectives, we plan to pursue during 2016. volunteer support is also critical. Website now has a Here is an update on the objectives being pursued: Shikhar link where devotees can keep checking for Vice President We thank all who took the time to fill out the Survey and updates and contribute on line. provided us your feedback. The survey results reveal Satya Agarwal Thanks to you, in the year 2015, temple did well devotees overall satisfaction with the temple pujas and 585-381-5746 financially. The temple became debt free, total income services being provided. EC will take improvement was over $265K, with expenses of about $175k and a actions in the areas which can be further improved. The net income of about $90k. So far this year we had a results of the survey are published in the newsletter. We Secretary good start financially. The income received and our plan to continue to conduct this survey on an annual Ramana Adibhatla expenses are being closely monitored and controlled. basis. 585-329-3698 The 2015 tax letters with contributions above $200 The year 2016 began with the new year celebration, were mailed out to its devotees. The financial audit followed by Hanuman Jayanthi, record setting Akhand will be conducted in April-May time frame. Treasurer Ramayan paath, Vasant Panchami, Gayatri Havan, Maha All of this is possible with devotees’ commitment and Shivarathri, Shiv Parvati Kalyan Utsav, Holi celebrations Chetna Chandrakala support to our temple which we know we can count on and Pangani Uttaram celebrations to name a few. Thanks going forward. I feel blessed as your President to be 773- 704-8817 to the temple’s devotees, the 20th year Akhand Ramayan supported by an extremely qualified and dedicated EC anniversary paath was a huge success with more than team, Board of Trustees, devoted volunteers, host family 151 sponsors. Additionally, the temple has extended its Cultural Secretary organizers and our Pujariji. We should be all proud of our support to the ICC to host the spring 2016 concerts in broad family linked together with just one common goal of Madhavi Devarakonda March 2016. making Hindu temple of Rochester the best it can be. 585-242-9447 During the 1st quarter, progress has been made towards Thank you, finalization of policies & procedures, abuse prevention O.P.Gupta policy, electronic office, preventive facility maintenance; Communications President, 2016 Secretary operational details of conduction of pujas, and successful annual temple sponsored host family organized events BOARD OF TRUSTEES Aruna Bhargava encourage us to have more of such annual events. 585-586-2146 Surendar Johar Lakshmi Rao Library is well on its way getting set up and will be Anil Sawhney (C) Virendra Gupta operational soon and we will be launching a Bal Narang Rajesh Mehrotra Educational Secretary humanitarian group to help those who may be in ill- health or grieving families whose loved one may have Nagin Shah Manoj Rajgarhia Raje Sathasivan passed away. The details to follow. Don Shetty Jaimala Thanik 585-802-0119 We thank all our teachers and volunteers who keep doing amazing hard work for the temple. Let us welcome Ravi VOLUNTEER GURUS Facilities Secretary Rasu who has agreed to be a volunteer coordinator and Rajashree Bhagwat will work closely with Madhaviji, our cultural Secretary Sunetra Deore Vinod Bajaj in mobilizing volunteer support for the temple. In Aruna Bhargava Suma Potini 585-442-2525 recognition of their efforts, we ask you to mark May 21st Radhika Ramesh Sandhya Nambiar the volunteer day where we will recognize teachers and Kusuma Vulapalli Arti Talwar volunteers can sign-up for volunteer opportunities Manika Mohan Alka Phatak Past President during Shikhar installation scheduled for August 26 – 28. Sanjay Mathur Temple was represented at Nazareth Interfaith Meera Sampath Jyothi Bhagavatula 585-666-0608 conference by volunteers Radhika Ramesh, Aruna Nidhi Singh Raje Sathasivan Bhargava and Manika Mohan. Madhavi Dixit Meenakshi Bansal Anita Kumar Priyanka Singh Priest Your support and participation for the yoga class on Tuesday evenings and annual health walk as part of our Kusum Shah Sandhya Sarlashkar L.V. Govind health initiatives is appreciated. Temple will celebrate Mukta Mande Sangeetha Ramkumar 585-427-8091 world yoga day on June 21st and health walk is scheduled for May 15th. Please mark your calendar. Kiran Verma Manisha Srivastava Sarada Mahalingam As you are aware, Henrietta town approved temple’s application for the Shikhar proposal. The year 2016 will Rakesh Roshan Sastry Bhagavatula be one of the milestone year in history of our temple. Plan on a huge event from August 26-28 with 3 days of 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. COMMONLY USED ABBREVIATIONS: Temple Hours: HTOR Hindu Temple of Rochester Mon - Fri 9:00AM - 11:30AM & 6:00PM - 8:30PM EC Executive Council Sat & Sun 9:00AM -12:00 Noon & 4:30PM - 8:30PM BoT Board Of Trustees Wednesday Temple Closed, except on Special Occasions. 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 Purushartha Hinduism developed a doctrine that life has different goals according to a person's stage of life and position. These goals became codified in the 'goals of a person' or 'human goals', the purusharthas, especially in sacred texts about dharma called 'dharma shastras' of which the 'Laws of Manu' is the most famous. In these texts three goals of life are expressed, namely virtuous living or dharma, profit or worldly success, and pleasure, especially sexual pleasure as a married householder and more broadly aesthetic pleasure. A fourth goal of liberation (moksha) was added at a later date. The purusharthas express an understanding of human nature, that people have different desires and purposes which are all legitimate in their context. Over the centuries there has been discussion about which goal was most important. Towards the end of the Mahabharata (Shantiparvan 12.167) there is a discussion about the relative importance of the three goals of dharma, profit and pleasure between the Pandava brothers and the wise sage Vidura. Vidura claims that dharma is most important because through it the sages enter the absolute reality, on dharma the universe rests, and through dharma wealth is acquired. One of the brothers, Arjuna, disagrees, claiming that dharma and pleasure rest on profit. Another brother, Bhima, argues for pleasure or desire being the most important goal, as only through desire have the sages attained liberation. This discussion recognises the complexity and varied nature of human purposes and meanings in life. Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/hinduism/concepts/concepts_1.shtml 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